The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-05-30
TOORKISTAN.
Curious Marriage Ceremonies In the Far
East.

CuEAOhs HAtAETiaSc NeEeAuOhicS III the r al
East.
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-
tiers from excessive labor in order to
preserve their freshness and beauty,
thanks to which they Will be in a posi-
ton to demand from the future bride
groom the highest price the latter is in
a position to give for bride. And as,
in this nomRd race, the women do not
cover their faces, it is net difficult to
choose a bride from among them. HAY
ing made his selection, the Toorkoman
intrusts 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 20 one hundred and sixty to-
mans (from one hundred and eighty-six
TO two hundred and seventy-eight
pounds; for an ordinary girl they pay
from sixty to eighty ton7ans; for one
who squints, or is deaf, or dumb, or dis
figured by smallpox, they do not pay
more than fifteen or twenty tOnl0nS.
The same prices are given for handsome
female slaves. The children of the lat
ter are not recognized as on the same
footing with the chIldI en- of the same
father and a free woman, and, in the
distribution of the Inheritance they re-
ceive a lesser portion.
After the conclusion of the contract
by the mediators, and the acceptance of
the terms by both parties, a HoHah is
summoned, who cOmposes a written
contract, and select propitious day for
the marriage ceremonies. The bride
groom 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 tho avnilnbIo sarl,sts,
| bags, silk rags, feathers, etc, in the
place. The bride is generally brought
away at midday; if the bridegroom is
not in position to spend much on the
wedding. he brings his bride home at
night, and then the wedding takes place
without guests.
The bridegroom's mother, sisters, fe-
male relations, aud other friends, adOrn-
ed with all their available treasures.
D and with all their heads attired for the
! occasion differently from the usual man
| ner, collect and adorn three or four
/ camels with carpets and variCgated
! pieces of silk. These stuffs, seeed to-
/ gether, 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 parent.
The men now divide into two groups;
one proceeds on foot, as an escort to
the women the other, armed as if for
Il foray, proceed IN front of the bridal
train. At a short distance from the
brides tent they spur up their horses,
discharge, at full speed, guns and PTS
tols, and perform various evolutiOns.
They then enter the tent, and there 0f-
ter a conversation of about an hour S
I length. a sort of strife Is entered into
/ between the relatives and friends of the
bride and those who have some to move
I her from the paternal roof. The BRIDE
| generally feigns to refuse to quit her
relatives, and, when they succeed 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 cam
els were left standing. The horsemen
cover their flight, firing into the brides
party. who follow the men with the car
pet, and hurl clods of earth at them
the fugitives, obliged to cover their
heads with wet cloths, sometimes let GO
Z
ify of ground, and fall on the top OF
the other.
Having reached the spot where the
camels stand. the pursuit ceases. They
cause the bride to emerge from the car
pet the women arrange her dress, and
cover her head and face with veil
leaving open only the ewes and nose
Placed in front, among the nearest re
lations of the bridegroom, the Young
girl proceeds at the head of the c0rtege
She keeps herself erect and look
I straight before her; when passing uea
the tents. the women around the bird.
slightly raise her veil, in order to dis
play her to the curious Just before
reaching the bridal tent, the horsemei
ride forward and commence firing, an(
uttering piercing cries. The road i
thronged with people who salute tn,
bride with deafening hurrahs and, 8
the moment when she prepares 70 eros
the threshold of the bridal abode, the,
place under her feet pieces of pastr,
for the children the latter appear il
the msrriage-train, and generally max
a terrible uproar.
During this hurly-burIy the womel
lead the bride into the tent OF tn
bridegroom. and place her back to tn
entrance. The females in the vicinit,
then hasten to congratulate her, bu
the entrance is barred to the men
These remain in the street and pass III
time till the dinner in single comba
and racing both on horseback and o.
foot. In the evening they smoke, drinl
tee. and listen to music
There is vet an original marriag
, custom, mentioned only by Vambery
l This ceremony consists an the bride
enveloped from head TO foot in o veil o
silk handkerchief, racing on horsebacI
with her bridegroom; not unfrequentl,
l the yelled Amazon reaches the goa
l sooner than the youth accustomed +,
gallopiDg and untrammeled in his mo
: tions. Sometimes the galIoping brid
holds on her knees a Slaughtered lam
or kid pursued by the bridegroom an,
other youths. she had to escape then
dnring the whole race, and not suffe
one to approach her, preserved thus he
! lamb or kid. This pastime is called tn
d" Green Wolf.
The newly married girl remains a
: home the first fortnight, and occupie
! herself with needle-work, in the societ-
! of fer ale relatives of TIE husband an,
: their acquaintances. During this De
! Rod men are admitted TO pay their re
poets. After this the female relatives O
: the husband lead the bride away to he
parents, with whom she lives a year o
eighteen months after her wedding
Here she makes carpets, sacks. linens
etc, for her future household. whil
her husband is permitted to visit he
claudestinely from time to time. Dur
, ing all this time the parents are respon
sible for the conduct Of their daughter
After the lapse of II @ appointed time
come TO fetch he /, and she es to hin
, on an ornamented camel, and leave
him no more. On this occasion another