The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1837-08-08
Translated for the National lntelgencer from
De La Marines Voyage in the East.
SYRIAN MARRIAGE CEREMONY.
FAcARDIN's Tower, Sept. p

S'SS'N''3
ian women, who came some on horseback, 9th
ers on foot, through the paths bordered by aloe
and mulberry trees, to attend the affianced dur
ing this fatiguing day. For many days and ma
ny nights, already certain number OF these
females have never left the house of Habib, and
have not ceased to utter cries, songs, and shrill
and prolonged groans like those vocal shouts
which the vntageurs and hay-makers pour forth
in our own France during harvest. These clam
ors, these lamentations, these tears, and these
premeditated rejoiciHgs, are to prevent the bride
from sleeping several days and nights before the
marriage. The old and young men Of the hus-
bands family, do the same things on their side,
and do not allow him to snatch any repose dur
ing eight days. We do not understand, in the
least the motives for this conduct.
Introduced into the gardens of Habib's house,
the women enter the interior of the dvan, to
pay their respects to the young lady, to admire
her dress, and to witness the ceremonies. As
to ourselves, we were left in the court or intro
duced into an inferior divan. There a table was
placed in the European style, covered with
multitude of preserved fruits, of cakes of hon
the entire evening, this collation. is renewed in
proportion as it has been destroyed by the nu
merous visitors. [ succeeded in obtaining en-
trance. by exception, even into the divan of the
women, at the precise moment when the Greek
archbishop was giving the nuptial benedction.
The girl was standing by the side of her intend
ed, covered from head to foot with veil of red
gauze, embroidered with gold. For an instant,
the priest has put aside the veil, and the young
man has been able to catch glimpse, for the
first time, Of her to whom he united his exis-
tence. She was eminently beautiful. The pale
hue, with which fatigue and emotion covered
her cheeks; paleness rendered more striking
by the reflections of the red veil, and the innu-
merable ornaments OF gold, silver, pearls and
the long tresses of black hair which fell, in eve
ry direction, over her person. Her eyebrows
painted black, as also her lashes, and the borders
of her eyes, her hands, with the extremities of
the fingers and the nails, stained red with the
henna, and painted with squares and moresque
designs, all gave to this fascinating beauty tone
of novelty and solemnity for us, with which we
were profoundly impressed Her husband had
scarcely time to regard her. He appeared over
come and expiring himself, with the weight of
his watchings and tatigues by means of which
these barbarous customs exhaust the strength of
even love ITSELF
The bishop received from the hands of one of
his priests crown of natural flowers, placed it
on the head of the girl took it off again, placed
it on the hair of the young man, took it again to
replace it on the veil Of the bride, and thus pass
ed it several times from one head to the other
Rings were likewise, by turns, put on the fin
gers Of each. They then broke the same piece
of bread; they drank the consecrated wine from
the same cup. After which, the female friends
carried off the bride to the apartments, where
the women alone were allowed to follow, in Or
der to change her toilet. The father, and the
friends Of the husband, led him also away, on
their SIDE, into the garden, and they made him
sit down at the foot of a tree, surrounded by all
the males of his family. The musicians and the
dancers then arrived, and continued, until the
sun had set, their barbaric symphonies their
shrill cries, and their contortions around the
young man, who had fallen to sleep at the base
of the tree, and whom his friends in vain arous.
ed every instant.
When night had arrived, he was conducted a.
lone, and in procession, to the dwelling of his
father. Eight days must elapse before permis-
sion is given to the groom to go and a!Ne is
wife and carry her nUrIe Win MN.
The women who filled Habbs house With
their shrieks, left likewise, little later. NOTING
could have been more picturesqe than this i'm
mense procession of women and girls, il the
strangest and most splendid costumes, coered
with sparkling stones, each one surroundedwith
their maids, and slaves bearing torches of nsin-
Gus fire to light their road, and proonging this
manner their luminous course amid the lon, on5
narrow pathways shaded by the aloe and onnpe
trees, on the banks of the sea, at times in lono
silence, at others utterng cries which were ech.
oed even on the waves, or amid the plane goves
at the foot of Mount Libanus We enterel onr
own dwelling, near the country seat of Fhbb.
where we yet heard the murmur of the COVER
sation among the women of the family; W. rs.