442 
quit the houfe, till fhe fhall have married 
the objeét of her love.”” Sometimes the 
parents perfi{ in their refufal ; but if 
the gir! be obftinate, and have patience 
to flay a few days or weeks in the houfe, 
they are not only forced to give their 
confent, but frequently to perfuade their 
fon to marry her. Befides, the young man 
is generally moved by her perfeverance 
and affection, and gradually accuftoms 
himfelf to the idea of making her his 
wife; fo that the young female peafants 
of the Ukraine feldom fail of being pro- 
vided with a hufband to their mind, if 
they do but poffefs a tolerable fhare of 
conftancy. There is no fear of their 
being obliged to leave the houfe of the 
youth they prefer: the parents never 
think of employing force, becaufe they 
believe, that by fo doing, they fhould draw 
down the vengeance ef heaven upon their 
heads; and to this confideration is added, 
the fear of offending the girl’s family, 
who would not fail to refent fuch beha- 
viour, as a grievous affront. : 
The Ceffacks have another -fingular 
ufage, which is obferved at the marriage 
of their daughters. When the hour for 
conduéting the bride to the nuptial bed 
is come, her relations take her afade, and 
and examine her, with the greateft care, 
to prevent her making ufe of arufice in 
the myftery about to be confummated.— 
As foon as the new-marvried couple are 
in bed, all the guefts come dancing into’ 
1 LY 
the room; and if the bride utter fighs 
and complaints, the dance redoubles, and 
her kinfmen give a loofe to their joy; 
but if fhe continue mute, the dance 
ceafes, and they wait the event in fiient 
fadnefs. When it proves favourable to 
her virtue, a red ftandard is hoifted at 
her window, and the neighbours come 
and congratulate the bride. Bur if her 
mifconduét, or a'defective conformation, 
prevent the appearance of the figns de- 
fired, a flag, witha hole in it, is hung 
eut, and every one who choofes, has a 
right to load her with reproaches, of 
which her father and mother come in for 
a due fhare. 
It fometimes happens, that the lord of 
2 village, in the Ukraine, gives the pea- 
{ants a dance before his door, and joins 
in it himfelf, with his wives and chil- 
dren. (Let it be cbferved, that moft of 
the villages in the Ukraine are furround- 
ed with thick woods, in which the pea- 
fantry conceal themfelves in the fummer, 
when afraid of a vifit from the Tartars), 
Although the peafants are jerfs, they 
have pofiefled, from time immemorial, 
Cufioms a the Ukraine — Age 
[June, 
the right of carrying off any young wo- 
man they like from the dance, not ex- 
cepting even the daughters of their lord, 
providing they do it with fufficient dexte- 
rity ; for otherwife, their lives pay the 
forfeit of their temerity. On thefe oc- 
cafions, they watch an Opportunity to, 
feize their prey, and haften to conceal 
themfelves in the thickeft parts of the 
neighbouring woods. If they can find 
means to flay there feur and twenty hours 
undifcovered, the rape remains unpu- 
nifhed, and they are at liberty to marry 
the young woman, provided theconfents ; 
but if taken before that fpace of time 
expires, they are beheaded, without far- 
ther ceremony. . 
On Eafter Monday, early in the morn- 
ing, the young men afiemble in the 
freets, lay hold on all the girls they meet 
with, and pour five or fix buckets of 
water ontheir heads. This fport is not 
permitted later than twelve oclock.— 
The dey after, the girls take their re- 
venge; but as they are inferier in 
fireneth, they are forced to have recourte 
to firatagem. ‘They hide themlelves five 
or fix ina houfe, witheach a jug of wa- 
ter in her hand, a little girl itanding cen- 
try, and giving the fignal, when the fees 
a young man approach. In an inftant 
the others rufh out; furround him with 
loud acclamations, two or three of the 
firongeft lay hold.on him, the neighbour- 
ing detachments arrive, and the peer de- 
vil is almoft drowned wth the torrents of 
water that ere poured upon his head. ' 
The men have alfo another amufement 
on Eafter Monday. They meet in the 
morning, and go ina body to the lord of 
the manor, to whom they makea prefent 
of fowls, and other poultry. The lord, 
in return, knocks out the head of a cafk 
of brandy, places it in the court-yard, 
and ranges the peafants around. He then 
takes a large ladle, fills it, and drinks 
to the eldefi of the compzny, who pledges 
him ; and thus it paffes from hand to 
hand, and from mouth to mouth, till the 
cafk is empty. Hf this happens at an 
early hour, the lerd fends for another, 
which is treated in the fame way ; forhe 
is bound to entertain the peafants till fun- 
fet. But as foon as the fun finks beneath 
the horizon, the fignal of retreat 1s 
given ; and thofe who are able, walk 
away. he reft pafs the night 1n the 
open air; and in thismanner, fome have 
been known to fleep for upwards of four 
and twenty hours. 
- London, May 12, 1797- $. 
4 For 
