The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-03-24

until raised to his feet by the bride.
1t now remained TO catechise the bride
aud administer the admonitions according
to their faith, which were 10 the following
manner A number of women came for
ward, and, brandishing knives of ivory
admonished her with all sorts Of horribl,
threats, to which she listened in silence
Then, turning to the priest, she spoke hel
obligation, ending by calling her future
husband to her, and embracing him-at
is the custom-instead of kissing. BY this
time we were glad to get under cover, fol
Il was bitter cold, and the foregoing cere.
mony had occupied fully an hour. Re.
entering the chiefs house we found il
transformed into a banquet hall, the floor
and all availing space around being GOV.
cred with steaming shells, containing such
a mess as would puzzle Chinese chef de
cuisine 50 closely we're the dishes placed
upon the ground that it became necessary
TO pick ones steps to the point allotted,
and, taking up the nearest dish, squat
down in its place. We were given the
place of honor, /, e., behind the chief aud
happy couple. At given signal from
the priest every one began an assault upon
his or her dish with gusto that betoken-
ed good digestion and better appetite.
The bill Of fare was blubber and boiled oil,
roasted blubber and cold oil, raw fish and
hot oil, blubber and fish In short il was
oil, blubber, and fish, with fish, blubbcr aud
oil for change. We were heartily sick,
and were compelled to witness this feeding
process much against our will Our por-
tions we gladly passed to those around US,
who as gladly accepted and ate them. l
watched the bride Of the pearly teeth stuff
herself with this food and bite and craunch
the raw 6sA as though it were the greatest
delicaoy.
The feast over, we were to have the
wedding ceremony, SO we returned to the
circle where we found Transformation
had occurred. In the centre of the plot
was built a hut of snow, covered with
skins and furnished as the ordinary home
of the islander, in which We were informed
the happy couple were to pass the honey
moOn-compassed by the ring of snow
emblematical alike of the purity of life
within and that to come. The hut was
amply provisioned for the time-and none
may enter here after the marriage prayer
takes place.
The men Of tie tribe were arranged in
a row around the circle-facing outward.
The groom is in the row all other parties
to the ceremony in the centre. The priest
now commands silence, and directs the
bride elect to pick from the number the
man whom she will wed. With the art
lessness Of woman she tripped around
the circle as though she did not know who
stopping ever anon to adjust the "plug"
and "peek" over some man s shoulder with
all the coyness Of children playing, until
finally she tapped the right one on the
shoulder and conducted him to the centre.
The men then withdrew, and the groom
went through the same performance.
Women are substituted for the men aud
the bride-eleet is among them. All now
withdraw but the bride and groom, their
parents and the priest. We being visitors,
were allowed to remain. The bride and
groom were then put in kneeling posture,
facing the sun, which was low in the hori-
zon, and which threw food of blood-red
light upon them, forming an impressive
picture. They joined hands and repeated
a prayer after the priest, who then pro-
nounced them married. 1t was then that
we saw the priest in his glory, He leaped
from the cart, clad in nothing but clout
of fur, and every conceivable spot on his
muscular body decorated with some orna-
ment, held its place by fish bones which
must have been inserted under the skin
and out again to hold them in place.
With unearthly and shrill yells he jesticu-
lated toword the sun, the while dancing
around in such manner as to cause one
to believe he had no joints in his body
in fact assuming shapes at times which
would be thought impossible in the usual
human frame. This we were told is
prayer to the sun ever to watch over and
guard the young couple aud for all bles-
sings such as are commonly duplicated
for on such occasions. We then offered
our presents to the bride and groom, the
parents and the priest. They were re-
ceived with many expressions of gratitude,
and We withdrew from the sacred circle,
solemnly impressed with the conviction
that though most of this service is hea-
thenism and has a touch Of madness in it,
yet there is great method 10 such mad
ness, for it knows not of divorce courts.