38 On the Language, Manners, and Rites, of the [July 



the intended bridegroom, go to the house of the future bride, and ask 

 if it be agreeable to give their daughter in marriage to the person in- 

 dicated. If agreeable to the latter persons, they signify their consent; 

 and they give a she-buffalo to the persons who came to make the de- 

 mand. On the road back, they kill this animal, slightly roast it, and 

 eat it. The following day the people of the intended bride's family go 

 to see the purposed bridegroom : on which occasion the relatives of 

 the latter shew every thing contained in their dwelling, or possession, 

 to the visitors. Whatsoever these find to be valuable, be it a cow, or 

 any thing else, they desire that it may be given to them; and they re- 

 ceive a promise that it shall be given, though it is not allowable then 

 to receive and take it away : they feast on ardent spirits and flesh, and 

 then depart. The next day the relatives of the man, call together a 

 few other people ; and the whole proceed, carrying the cow, and other 

 things, to be given as requested. The people of the woman's family 

 kill a number of buffaloes, proportioned to the visitors ; on half the 

 flesh of which the whole feast together, while the other half is carried 

 back by the visitors, and made to feast all their relatives. Another 

 time, the man's relatives proceed to the other house, and give them a 

 formal invitation. On the female's relatives going accordingly, the 

 people of the man's house kill buffaloes, eating one half together, and 

 giving the other half, with rice, to the visitors, who carry the same 

 back, and with it feast their relations. 



Subsequently, the mother and father of the man, go to the other 

 house, and ask when it will be agreeable to the female's relatives, that 

 they should come to escort the female ; and when any day whatsoever* 

 is fixed upon, the precise place where the parties are to meet is speci- 

 fied. At this visit free use is made of spirits and flesh, before the visi- 

 tors depart. 



On the appointed day, matsf are laid down for the bride to walk 

 over, and spreading a mat over her for the sake of shade, they give to 

 her all needful household stuff, or utensils ; and, accompanied by a 

 crowd of men and women, they go a short distance in procession to the 

 place previously indicated. The mother, father, and relatives of the 

 man, remain previously a little farther off. The people of the female 

 convoy, call out to the others to come and fetch the bride ; and then a 

 mock fight, with stones and thorny brambles, is begun by the femal e 

 convoy against the parties composing the other one. In the midst of 



* A negligence of auspicious, or inauspicious, clays (according to Hindu notions) is 

 implied by the Hindu writer of the original paper. 



+ The Hindus have a similar custom at their funerals, only they spread cloths instead 

 of mats. 



