The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-11-24
Heaihen Marriage.

The marriage customs among the natives
OF new Holland are rather more curious than
agreeable. Before girl is given to herhusa
b6ndh two front teeth are knocked out--s
The lover then throws a kangaroo skinosers
her shoulder, spits in her face several times.
marks her with painted stripes of dilferepts
colors, orders her to march to his hut with
his provision bag; and gives her a few kicks
by the way. These sayages generally steal
their wives from some tribe with whom they,
are at enmity.. As soon as they observe 4,
girl without any protector, they rush upon,
her, supply her with blows Of a club, and,
drag her through the woods with the utmost
violence. Her.. tribe retaliate merely by
committing similar outrage. There are no,
other wedding ceremonies. ..s5e Ia
The Mayors marry at very. yearly age.--
Wives are always purchased; and the father
Of the girl cannot refuse an offer, unless
there is some stain upon the young mans
character. The. bridal tent is adorned with
small white flag, and the bridegroom's brow
is encircled with fillet ofthe same color.-T
The bride isconducted to the tent by her
parents, where the bridegroom presents her
with garments and jewels according to his
wealth. A grand entertainment is given
and the young women dance all day t9 tbe
sound of instruInents--while the spectatots
regulate their motions by clspping hands
These dances are notyery decorous. I, n.
The marriages among the negro tribes are
conducted with little ceremonial, except an
abundance Of ,pastimes and dancing. NY. !,
= Among the Jareres, when lover has SCI
cured the consent Of relations, he summons
his friends to assist in carrying off the bride,
who shuts herself up in hut with her com.
panions, where, they maintain an obdnrate
siege before they conclude to surrender,
In Bambuk, the bride comes to the hut Of
her husband with a calabash Of water with
which she washes his feet and wipes them
with her mantle. ~, ....i -'.ss -
In Congo, the negroes take their wives Of
year on trial; if at the end Of that time they
are satisfied, the wedding is celebrated with
feast. The Missionaries tried to abolish this
custom without success; the mothers decld-
ring that they would not risk the happiness
Of their daughters by urging them to iHdis-
soluble union with persons with whose hab-
its and tempers they were not acquainted.
In Abyssinia, there is no form Of marriage
ceremony; parties live together, as long as
they please; and these connections are dis
solved and renewed as often as teeo think
proper. $.3ass sna4 s4.eQu Il = Ag,t aogL
African princes have unpleasant way Of
furnishing a idowry for their daughtefs.L ~
When the Sultan Of Mapara married bic
daughter to an Arab Shik, the nuptials were
celebrated by q, great slave hunt, when. al-
Ter dreadful. struggle, three thousand cap.
tiyes, by their tears and bondage, furnished
the materials Of . magnificent marriags fec.
,tiyal,, ,rsa,f. VIA NY, .fi ,.sts.sS " q,
In Dahemey, all the unmarried females in
the kingdom are considered the property Of
the .sovereign., Once a year they are all
brought before, him, he selects The most en,
.gagipg for himself, and sells the others It
high prices to his subjacts. No choice y al
lowed the purchaser. He pays twenty thou,
sand cowries, and receives such wife as The
king pleases to appoint, being obliged to aP;
pear, satisfied with. the selection whatever
may be her aspect or condition, The king
has three thousand wives, but the, king, Of
sAshantee has exactly 3,sss, and the safety
Of, his kingdom is supposed 70 depend nPor
his keeping up this mystical number.
so2ud "a. tiosssse vE s ssssn.,..s "a VI y