Makeiage Among Macüsis. 
251 
upon tlie yonug AA omaii and the more vnlnable things. The pots and 
drinking cups which she used are destroyed, and the pieces buried. But 
a painful ordeal still awaits lier. On her return from her first bathe she 
must sit during the night upon a stool or stone where she will be beaten 
by her mother with thin swiitches, without daring to utter a cry of pain 
tliat C(»u]d wake the sleeping occupants of the house, an event, the 
consequence of which would only mean <langer to her future welfare. 
This flagellation again takes place at the second menstruation, but after 
tliat, no more. Tlie girl may now lie seen again among her people: she 
is clean, and if she has already been betrothed, the bridegroom comes 
on llie following day to the house and takes his young wife home: in 
none of the tribes does this happv'^u Itefore puberty. 
575. Again, the wife and daughter, with each recurrence of this 
physical process are considered unclean: during these periods they must 
neither bathe nor go into the forest, 1)ecause they would then T)c exposed 
to the amatory advances of snakes.* 
576. At first when I was still unacquainted with the habits and customs 
of these primitive people, the seclusion of a girl or woman in a compart- 
ment or up under the roof naturally surpr4sed me, and T sympathetically 
enquired what ailed them. "Hure-puryia purawanna-yenepe-pupei 
wanna" (I am Siick, I have head, ache) or ''Hure-puriya-purawanna yenepe 
uye wanna" (I am sick, I have tooth-ache) was the usual answer. 
577. ^farriages are celebrated among tlie Macusis vtäth just as little 
religious observance as among the Warraus and Waikas, and are very 
often already resolved upon at a very early age by the ]iarents; under 
whic-h circumstances, the young man is bound to for his future 
wife's parents unlil such time as she liecomes mature. This kind of be- 
trothal is nevertheless by no means Innding, for the affiajieed couple may 
break off tlicir eugageinent at incii>ient puberty, and make another 
choice. During this courtship, the would-be benedict pays his youthful 
bride ever-y attention, ]iresents her with beads, and gives her the best 
of everything he gets in huufiing. If she becomes his wife, he tlien 
carries her away to where lie intends settling, and from henceforth his 
will is hers. Before, however, taking his wife away, he must submit 
to certain tests to show that he can uphold the title of "man." These 
ti'ials, which are not always identical, include, amongst others, the 
f'Teaning, within a specified time, of a measured inece of timbered land 
wliich will subseqnently seiwe him as provision-field, the felling of some 
Imge tree within a stipulated period, etc. If he comes out of all these 
or.'leals successfully, he earns the attributes of a man: he can appear at 
the assembly of (he men aurl take part in their deliberations. Should ho 
fail, he will have to make another try later on. 
578. If no previous mutual understanding on the part of the parents 
has been come to, then the young man and maiden follow their OAvn un- 
restricted inclinations. After the swain has given sufficient evidence of 
Ips mettle, his skill in hunting and fishing, and in tree-fell ing, he goes to 
* — The snake plays a very importinit role in comiectioii with sexual matters. See Roth s 
Animism and Folklore, etc. s ' ct.. 347, pp. 3C9-.^,7U. (Ed). 
