^±6 .S U M A T R A. 
entirely by the fame fpirit, differ from thofe eflablifbed amongft the Re- 
jangs, in fevcral particulars. 
The marriage by pojmr is there termed kooh. When the parties are 
determined in their regards, the father of the young man, or the hajm^ 
himfelf, goes to the houfe of the father of the woman^ carrying with him 
forty, fifty dollars, or more. On opening his defign he tenders this 
money as a prefent, and the others acceptance of it is a token that he 
is inclined to forward the match. This is the biifinefs of the firft vifc 
The money thus deported is called puggaian^ and when the marriage 
is agreed upon, it is confidered as an equivalent for the drefs, and orna* 
ments which the bride carries with her* It lies often in the hands of th^ 
girls father, three, fix, or twelve months, before the marriage is confum* 
mated. He fometimes fends for more, and is never refufed ; but it 
would be deemed fcandalous for him to liften to any other propofals, 
whilft he thus continues dallam rajjhi (in treaty) with the former perfon. 
The purchafe money confifts of three diftinft fums. The Qoroop niaow 
(price of life), forty dollars ; a creefe with a gold head and filver fheath, 
valued *t ten dollars ; and the joudo con billee, or poet&ofe kooh (conclu- 
fion of the bargain), twenty dollars. Thcfe are generally made diitinA 
payments. 
The kooh marriage may be difTolved at the pleafure of either of the 
parEjes. If the woman infifts on feparating, the children, if any, remain 
with the father. If the hulband fues for the divorce, the children are 
divided. In thefe cafes the purchafe money is returned ; an exafl; 
cflimatlon Is made of the value of the woman's trinkets, and what are 
not rellored, muft be made good by the hufband. Sometimes a deduc- 
tion is made from the purchafe money, according to the circumllances 
of the affair- All this is fettled by the chiefs affembled, if the parties 
cannot agree upon the terms amongii themfelves. 
In the arnbel am marriage, when the father refolves to difmifs the 
hufband of his daughter, and fend him back to his doofoon, the fum for 
which 
