MARRIAGE CEREMONIES. 
159 
steps, taken to obtain her, and indeed very often does not 
know the lover who has appHed for her. He makes her eat a 
little of each of the colat-nuts from which the omen has 
been drawn, and informs her, before the persons present, 
that she is to become the wife of him who has sent the pre- 
sents ; and the same day, without consulting her incHnation 
the unfortunate creature is led to the home of a husband 
whom she will, perhaps, never love. 
She is conducted thither by the old people who were 
charged with the preliminary negociations, and followed 
by a crowd of her young friends, who rejoice and sing her 
praises. The old woman is appointed to prepare the hut in 
which the new-married couple are to dwell. After taking 
away every thing belonging to the master of the cabin, she 
puts upon the bed a pair of very white pagnes to receive the 
happy pair the first night of their marriage ; next day these 
pagnes are presented to the bridal party, who pass them 
from hand to hand, singing and dancing in honour of the 
chastity of the young bride. This ceremony always takes 
place to the sound of rustic music and lively songs which ren- 
der the spectacle more animated. These festivities generally 
last two or three days. The parents of the new couple never 
attend them | they do not visit their children till a week after 
the marriage. 
On the seventh day after the birth of a child there are 
great rejoicings; it is not till then that the mother begins to 
go out of the house. During this interval she remains shut 
up to bestow all her attentions on the new-born babe. That 
period being elapsed, the parents sacrifice an ox, and both 
night and day are passed in dancing. 
Amongst the Landamas and Nalous, death also claims 
its sacrifices. On the day of interment, the relations kill a 
sheep and sprinkle the grave with its blood. This ceremony is 
proceeded by several discharges of musquetry at the grave ; 
the sheep is afterwards divided amongst the neighbours. A 
