jan. — mar. 1858.] the Travancore Backwater. 



205 



" It is strange to see how ready the Souldiour of this country is 

 at his weapons : they are all gentile men and tearmed Naires. At 

 seven years of age they are put to school to learn the use of their 

 weapons, where, to make them nimble and active, their siunewes 

 and joints are stretched by skilful fellows, and annointed with the 

 oyle Sesamus : by this annointing they become so light and nimble 

 that they will winde and turn their bodies as if they had no bones, 

 casting them forward, backward, high, and low even to the aston- 

 ishment of the beholders. Their continual delight is in their weapon 

 perswading themselves that no nation goeth beyond them in skill 

 and dexterity." This description would be more applicable to a 

 Parthian horseman or Roman Athlete than to the mild and delicate 

 looking Nair of the present day. 



But the most peculiar feature in the domestic life of the Nair is 

 in the institution of marriage, and the customs which result from 

 his mode of observing this ceremony, so different from nearly all 

 other nations of the world. The ceremony of marriage (the term 

 is a complete misnomer,) is performed at an early age by one of the 

 near male relations of the family, usually by a cousin. When the 

 forms attendant upon this nominal union have taken place, all 

 communication between the youthful pair ceases, and the girl re- 

 turns to her relations. On arriving at or near the age of maturity, 

 a more real ceremony is performed, when another husband pre- 

 ssents himself, and this couple now become man and wife ; but 

 should the husband after a certain period not be pleased with the 

 lady of his choice, he has the option of returning her to her parents 

 or relatives, when both are at liberty to seek a fresh union in other 

 quarters. No disgrace is attached to this proceeding, nor is the 

 summary divorce and violent disruption of the marriage tie in any 

 way illegal. There is in point of fact, no actual marriage such as 

 we understand the sacred institution, and it is in consequence of a 

 custom so abhorrent to our feelings of propriety, and one so sub- 

 versive of everything which should create and strengthen the ties 

 and relationship of domestic life, that in cases of heirdom either to 

 the throne of the royal family, or the succession to property, the 

 descent is recognised only in the female line. The nephew, not the 

 son, becomes the heir. Truly the remark which Telemachus meke* 



