Huntsville gazette., 1888-07-14


recognized feature of the programme,
and therefore no one is surprised. A
fine animal, called the COX of the
nurse has been kept in reserve, and
this being presented to the wailing
mother, she is appeased.
The young man does not there and
then claim his bride, however. He
goes off to prepare her home, and at
length an intimation that he is ready
now to receive her reaches her parents
in shape of a necklace that has been
thrown the previous night over the pal
ings of the courtyard, and is there dis
covered the next morning. Among the
Kaffirs of Natal it is usual for the
brides parents to return three of the
presentation cattle-one in considera-
tion of the ornaments the young girl has
been in the habit of wearing and which
are now divided among her sisters; one
as sacrifice to the names of the bride
grooms ancestors to obtain their con-
sent to the marriage, and the third to
help fill up the wide gap in the herd
that supplied the presentation beasts.
Travellers who have visited Towka, in
Central America, and enjoyed the priv
ilege of being present at a marriage
feast, concur in describing the latter as
a most amazing performance Singular
too the courtship of which the wedding
is the consummation. The little Towkans
are betrothed at an early age, and
when that takes place two strips are
torn from aroll bright-colored cloth and
these the affianced pair wear afterwards
as armlets or garters. So much i'm
pOrtance is attached to this engage
ment ring" that should either of the
young people lose or be deprived of it
it is necessary to impanel a jury of
elders, who inquire into the circum-
stances, and if there is nothing to iusti-
fy an annulling of the contract another
piece from the original roll is substitute
ed. In addition to this the betrothed
ones wear each a necklace of shells or
heads, to which one is added each year,
that correct count may be kept of their
arriving at marriageable age. AS the
happy day approaches the preparations
are made.
There is only one wedding ring" in
Towka, and that is situated in the CEN
ter of the village. 1t is not composed
of gold, but Of Jumps of stone, and it is
perhaps a hundred yards in circumfer-
ence, and in the middle is erected a
conical-shaped hut, before the aperture
to which is hung mat of palm bark.
On the marriage morn the bridegroom,
accompanied by his father and other
male relatives, makes his way to the
hut, where the bride is at pre-
sent, in charge of the matrons
of the tribe. The ardent young fell
low has made himself as smart as his
circumstances will permit, and he car
ries a large bundle. This he sets down
near the hut, at the door of which his
father knocks. 1t is opened first a few
inches, but before the old gentleman
can state his business it is rudely shut
in his face, and, without remonstrance,
he retires. Another-the bridegroOm's
uncle, may be-next tries his luck, with
no better success. Then the young man
unties his bundle, which contains pres
ents for the bride, and the father, tap
ping again, hands in some attractive
looking article. This is not refused,
and he delivers another, and still an
~ fbnn ,,nfi1 fol1
within are so busy examining the finery
that they forget their jealous guard
of the door and leave it open. This is
the bridegroom's opportunity. He
dashes in, selling on his beloved one
who, of course, is not unwilling clasps
her in his arms and bears her off. But
he has to be quick. Burdened as he is,
he has to make for the wedding ring"
and the old women, swarming out of
the hut, are after him, screaming and
threatening. If they catch him and
compel him to relinquish his precious
load, all that has gone before is as
naught. He forfeits his presents,
and the preliminaries have to
DC SOuC ONCI ctIl.
Once within the magic circle,
however the head man himself dare not
modest him. Then commences the mer-
ry-making, of which wine bibbing is the
most conspicuous feature, and in the ar
rangements for which the Towkans
show themselves much superior to the
puny efforts of civilization in the same
direction. Bottles or bowls do not sat
isfy this noble savage of Central Amer
lea when he wishes to do honor to a
friends espousal-he must have a boat
full of the inspiring beverage. A canoe
is brought to the edge of the wedding
ring and filed with palm wine thickened
with honey and crushed plantain, in
which sufficient number of calabashes
are set floating. To the invigorating
strains of music-the instruments con-
sisting of sort of pickle-jar with a
drumhead, and whistles made out of
hamhOO-tha friends and relations of