The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-18
THE NOVEMBER MAGAZINES.
"PUTNAM,s.,,

vin bride in Kamchatka:-
A. This interesting crisis we had surprised
onr Korak friends in the third encampment.
The tent which we had entered was an un-
usually large one, containing twenty-six
noloos arranged in continuous circle around
its inner circumference. The open space in
the centre around the fire was crowded with
the dusky faces and half shaven heads of the
Korak spectators, whose attention seemed
about equally divided between sundry kettles
and troughs of ''manyalla," boiled venison,
marrow frozen tallow, and similar delioacies,
and the discussion of some controverted
point of marriage etiquette Owing to my
ignorance of the language, L was not able TO
enter thoroughly into the merits of the dis
puted Question, but it seemed to be ably
argued on both sides. Our sudden
entrance seemed to create tenn
porary diversion from the legitimate
business of the evening The tattooed
women and shaven-headed men stared in
open -mouthed astonishment at the pale-faced
quests who had come unbidden to the mar
rage feast having on no wedding garments.
Our faces are undeniably dirty, and our blre
hunting shirts and buckskin pants bore the
marks of two months rough travel, in nume-
rous rims. tears. and tatters, which were only
nartialiy masked by thick covering of rein
deer hair from our fur "Kuchlaukas." Our
general appearance, in fact, suggested a more
Intimate acquaintance with dirty ''yourt5,
mountain thickets, and Siberian storms, than
with the civilizing influences of soap, water,
ya2ors and needles. We bore the curious
scrutiny of the assemblage, however, with
the indifference of men who were used to it,
and sipped our hot tea while waiting for the
ceremony to begin. Hooked curiously around
to see if ! could distinguish the happy
candidates for matrimonial honors, but they
were evidently concealed in one of the closed
pologs. The eating and drinking seemed by
this time to be about finished, and an air Of
expectation and suspense pervaded the entire
crowd Suddenly we were startled by the
loud and regular beating of native "bara-
ban, or bass drum, which fairly filed the
tent with a volume of sound. AT the same
instant, the crowd opened to permit the pas
sage of tall, stern-loolling Korak with an
armful of willow sprouts and alder branches,
which he proceeded to distribute in all the
pologs Of the tent "What do you suppose
that is for?" asked Dodd, in an undertone 'I
don't know was the reply; keep still, you
will see.' The regular throbs Of the drum
continued throughout the distribution of the
willow sticks and at its close the drummer
began to sing a low musical recitative which
gradually increased in volume and energy,
until it sweled into wild barbarous chant,
timed by the regular beats Of the heavy drum.
A slight commotiOn in the crowd immedi
ately followed, the front curtains of all the
pologs were thrown up, the women stationed
themselves in detachments of two or three at
the front of each polog, and took up the will
low branches In a moment venerable
native, whom we presumed to be the father
of one of the parties, emerged from the po-
log nearest the door, leading a dark-faced
bride. Upon their appearance the excitement
increased to the pitch of frenzy; the music
redoubled its rapidity, the men in the centre of
the tent joined in the uncouth chant, and
uttered at short intervals peculiar Shrill cries
of wild excitement. At given signal from
the native who had led out the couple, the
bride darted suddenly into the first polog, and
began a rapid fight around the tent, raising
the curtains between the pologs successfully
and passing under The bridegroom instantly
followed in hot pursuit, but the women who
were stationed in each comPart-
ment threw every possible i'm
pediment in his way, tripping up his
unwary feet, holding down the curtains to
prevent his passage, and applying the willow
switches numerically to q very susceptible
part of his body, as lie stopped to raise them.
The air was filed with drum beats, shouts of
encouragement and derision, and the sound
of the heavy blows which were administered
to the unluclly bridegroom by each successive
detachment of women as ne ran the gauntlet
most violent efforts, he would fail to overtake
the flying Atalanta before she completed the
circuit Of the tent. Even the golden apples
OF Hesperides would have availed him little
against such disheartening odds, but with ur-
dismayed perseverance he pressed on, stumb-
ling headlong over the outstretched feet of
his female prosecutors, and getting constantly
entangled in the ample folds of the reindeer
skin curtains which were thrown with
the skill of matador over his
head and eyes. In moment the
bride had entered the last closed polog near
. the door, while the unfortunate bridegroom
was still struggling with his accommodating
mlsfortunes about half way round the tent.
L expected to see himHelaX his efforts and
give up the contest when the bride disap-
peared and was preparing to protest strongly
in his behalf against the unfairness of the
trial; but, to my surprise, he still struggled
on, and with a final plunge burst through
the curtains Of the last polog, and reioined
his bride. The music suddenly ceased, and
the throng of natives began TO stream out of
the tent. The ceremony was evidently over,
Turning to MeronetI who with delighted
grin had watched its progress, we inquired
what it all meant. ''Were they married ?'
"Da's, was the affirmative reply. But"
we objected, she didn't catch her" 'She
waited for him, your honor, in the last polog
and II he caught her there, it was enouoh.
suppose he had not caught her there. ther
what Then, answered the Cossack, witt
an expressive shrug of comniseration
+" the 'baidnak' poor fellow = wonI,
have had to work two more wears
This was an interesting feature-for th
bridegroom To work two years for a wife
undergo a severe course of willow sprouts a
the close of his apprenticeship, and then hav