292 Memoir Descriptive of the Vurragherry [Oct, 



tinency is, however, very predominant, and a separation between man 

 and wife not unfrequent, originating often in mere caprice. If a man 

 feels an inclination to alienate himself from his wife, he has only to 

 make his intention known to her parents, who receive her back with 

 an offer of a pair of oxen ; to the west, she is turned over simply 

 with a vutty or metal dish, in use to eat victuals out of. In case a 

 woman is displeased with her husband and absolutely wishes to 

 part from him, she is at liberty to do so, only she must leave all her 

 golden trinkets, if she has any, to the husband, those of silver she 

 takes, it being considered as her own property : to the west, however, 

 the wife is only permitted to take back such articles as she may have 

 possessed before marriage, and if she has any children, they are 

 left behind as the sole property of the husband. Should such separa- 

 tion take place when the woman is in a state of pregnancy (and in 

 the interim she be married to another man), the child when born must 

 revert to the legitimate father : the care and expense of nursing it, 

 to the east, is recompensed by a donation of thirty fanams ; towards the 

 west it is delivered to the father on his demand, and no recompense 

 made. The children of such a connection are allowed to grow up, 

 and then return to their real father, who is bound to receive 

 and protect them. A woman may marry as often as she chooses, 

 but can have only one lawful husband at a time, though she may 

 bestow her favours on another, provided he be of the same caste, any 

 intercourse with a man of another tribe, would tend ultimately to 

 expel her from the caste. A man may marry, if his circumstances 

 will admit, as many wives as he pleases, for concubinage among 

 them is not permitted, and to a man of some opulence two or three 

 women are necessary in his domestic affairs ; they are also very 

 useful in the fields, the toilsome labour of weeding and watering de- 

 volving chiefly on them. Among the western Kunnuvers a rather 

 singular practice is supposed to prevail in case of an estate de- 

 volving on a female from default of male issue ; she is 

 prohibited marriage, but undergoes the ceremony of being be- 

 frothed to some part of her dwelling ; she is, however, allowed to have 

 an intercourse with the opposite sex, and to the offspring of such a 

 connection, if a male, the estate devolves. The women of the eastern 

 parts are very uncouth and wear brass and metal necklaces, with a 

 profusion of bangles on their arms and legs, and bore the membrane 

 between their nostrils ; the latter is also done by the women of the 

 west, who are rather superior, and more modest in the wear of orna- 

 ments, a few stone or glass beads round the neck, called kulpasby* 



