Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-05-13
HYMENEAL.
Curious HEarriage Cere,no nies In ToorEsis-

The Toorkoman girls do not become
manageable till the age of sixteen or
seventeen years. Up to that time the
parents endeavor to relieve their daugh-
ters from excessive labor in order to
preserve their freshness and beauty,
thanks to which they will be in posi-
ion to demand from the future bride
groom the highest price the latter is in
position to give for q bride. And as,
III this nOmad race, the women do not
cover their faces, it is not difficult to
choose a bride from among them.
Having made his selection, the Toorko-
man 1ntrusts to a kinswoman or friend
OF the bride the task of proposing in
his name to her parents, and settling
the price,
For a well made, handsome, and
healthy girl, they pay usually from one
hundred to one hundred and sixty
tona'as { from one hundred and eighty
six to two hundred and seventy eight
pounds;) for an ordinary girl they pay
from sixty to eighty tomans; for one
who squints, or is deaf, or dumb, or dis
figured by smallpox, they do not pay
more than fifteen or twenty tomans.
The same prices are given for handsome
female slaves. The children of the
latter are not recognized as on the
same footing with the children of the
same father and q free woman, and, in
the distribution of the inheritance they
receive a lesser portion.
After the conclusion of the contract
by the mediators, and the acceptance
of the terms by both parties, a noozzah
is summoned, who composes a written
contract, and selects propitious day
for the marriage ceremonies. The
bridegroom sends the bride certain
presents, among which sheep for the
wedding feast are always found. On
the day of the wedding the tent of the
bride is decked with all the available
carpets, bags, silk rags, feathers, etc.,
in the place. The bride is generally
brought away at midday ; if the bride
groom is not in a position to spend
much on the wedding, he brings his
bride home at night, and then the we'd
ding takes place without guests.
The bridegrooms mother, sisters,
female relations, and other friends,
adorned with all their available treas
ures, and with all their heads attired
for the occasion differently from the
usual manner, collect and adorn three
or four camels with carpets and varie-
gated pieces of silk. These stuffs,
sewed together, cover the head and
neck of the animal, and are fastened to
the saddle; and thus the procession
proceeds for the bride to the tent of
the parents.
The men now divide into two groups;
one proceeds on foot, as an escort
to the women; the other, armed as if
for foray, proceed in front of the
bridal train. At short distance from
the brides tent they spur up their
horses, discharge, at full speed, guns
and pistols, and perform various eyolu-
lions. They then enter the tent, and
there, after conversation of about an
hours length, sort of strife is entered
into between the relations and friends
of the bride and those who have come
to remove her from the paternal roof.
The bride generally feigns to refuse to
quit her relitives, and, when they sue
ceed in taking her from the tent, they
place her on a carpet spread in front
of the tent by those men who had
marched on foot in the procession.
After this, having seized on the ends of
the carpet, these men hasten to the
spot where the camels were left stand
ing. The horsemen cover their flight,
firing into the brides party, who follow
the men with the carpet, and hurl clods
of earth at them; the fugitives, obliged
to cover their heads with wet clothes,
sometimes let go the carpet, or STUN
BILE on some inequality of ground, and
fall on the top of the other.
Having reached the spot where the
camels stand, the persuit ceases.
They cause the bride to emerge from
the carpet; the women arrange her
dress, and cover her head and face
with a veil, leaving open only the
eyes and nose. Placed in front, among
the nearest relations of the bridegroom,
the young girl proceeds at the head of
the c0rtege. She keeps herself erect
and looks straight before her; when
passing near the tents, the women
around the bride slightly raise her veil,
in order to display her to the curious.
Just before reaching the bridal tent,
the horsemen ride forward and COM
mence firing, uttering piercing cries.
The road is thronged with people who
salute the bride with deafening hurrahs;
and, at the moment when she prepares
to cross the threshold of the bridal
abode, they place under her feet pieces
of pastry for the children; the latter
appear in the marriage-train, and
generally make terrible uproar.
During this hurly-burley the women
lead the bride into the tent of the bride
groom, and place her back to the en-
trance. The females in the vicinity
then hasten to congratulate her, but
the entrance is barred to the men.
These remain in the street and pass
the time till the dinner in single COM
bat and racing both on horseback and
on foot. In the evening they smoke,
drink tea, and listen to music.
There is yet an original marriage
custom, mentioned only by Vambery.
This ceremony consists in the bride,
enveloped from head to foot in veil
or silk handkerchief, racing on horse
hack with her hrideprOOm. not unfre-