282 
VOYAGE pF THE POTOMAC. 
[March; 
Marriage contracts are all made by the parents, relations, or 
guardians, apparently without much respect to the inclinations or 
tastes of the parties most immediately concerned. After the ne- 
gotiation has advanced to a certain stage, the intended bridegroom 
sends a present corresponding to his means to the bride elect, and 
her acceptance of it renders the contract binding. Should the 
lover, however, afterward evince any reluctance to fulfil his en- 
gagement, the present is forfeited to his betrothed; but if she 
express a similar disinclination, she is bound to return it to the 
donor. A period of several weeks generally elapses between the 
betrothing and the marriage, for which all parties are very careful 
to select a lucky day. The marriage ceremony appears to be a 
mere civil contract, liable to be dissolved on certain specified 
contingences. After leaving the mosque, not forgetting to pay 
the priest the marriage fees,* a procession is generally formed, 
consisting of the new-married couple, with their parents and 
relations, which moves through the town, attended by a band of 
music and accompanied by the firing of cannon. A feast is given 
in the evening at the house of the brides' parents. Such festivi- 
ties last sometimes for several days. 
Notwithstanding the Javanese females marry at so early an 
age, they generally continue to bear children until a late period 
of life ; so that it is not uncommon for a mother to attend the ac- 
couchement of her own grandmother. The wives of the Javans, 
however, are not so prolific as many women of other countries ; 
though instances are not wanting of one of them being the mother 
of thirteen or fourteen. Half a dozen may be taken as an aver- 
age ; but the early formation of new families is a continual check 
to"^ the numerical increase of the parental household. An un- 
married man, past the age of twenty, is seldom to be met with, 
and an old maid is considered a rara avis in terra. The labour 
of the women in Java is estimated almost as highly as that of the 
men, and thus a married couple can maintain eight or ten persons ; 
and as a family seldom exceeds half that number, they have com- 
* According to strict Mahommedans, the priest's marriage fee ought not to exceed 
fifteen stivers. In most instances, however, they are raised to five times that sura 
in money ; besides a fowl, a hank of cotton-yarn, four katis of rice, two cocoanuts, 
fruit, &c. ' There is very little in the ceremony conformable to the Mahommedan 
precepts,. — Raffles^ Java. 
