The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1891-02-18
The HONEYMOON.
HlS0RVLAE or The PRIMITIVE METg0g oe
MARRIAGE.
Brutal and UnrOmantic Courtshins of
Various Savages.

brulhl and UnrOmantic COurtships O
Various Savages.
Can you tell me from what source
this custom ofthe honeymoon Journey
is deri ,ed" asked a young mar,
ried man, just returned from his wed
ding trip with much hatte1ed pock-
ct book, of scientific friend.
"Why my dear boy was the re-
ply, st is of purely savage origin and
represents a survival of the primitive
method of marriage by capture. In
the early days OF social existence be,
fore the era of civilization dawned the
lover always secured his bride by
force, just as the Australian native of
today knocks down the woman he de-
sires for a wife with his club and
drags her off, this cerymony constitu>
ting the requisite legal form. Among
the Kalmucks of central Asia the girl
whom youth desires to win is put on
horse and rides off at fulf speed, the
lover pursuing as soon as she is Judged
to have got fair start. 1.-The cannot
overtake her the match if off, but if
he succeeds in catching her she be-
comes his wife, When she likes the
young man it is to be presumed that
she does not ride her hardest.
"With the Ahitas of the Phillip
pine Islands when man wishes to
marry young woman she is given an
hours start in the woods, and, if he
finds her and brings her back before
su set, it is a lawful marriage. Ever
so many people still preserve the form
OF marriage by capture, even though
the actual custom no longer exists.
When an Indian of Chile has agreed
on the price he shall pay for a girl to
her parents the recognized mode of
proceeding is that he surprises her, or
IS supposed to do so and carries her off
to the woods for few days, after
which the happy couple return home.
That seems, much like civilized
honeymoon"
"The idea of it is precisely the same
and the custom is derived from the
same source. Just as | said, the
is in fact survival of the
primitive custom of marriage by cap
a 9FSi la Is aat 59o dAgatSaa "dt1Paf4 6
wives has become incOnveninent aud
Gradually, therefore,
{ has sunk more and more into mere
or,n. Thus the requirements OF tashN
on were satisfied with your running
If with your own bride out of town
Tor a month";
Very expensive l found it. l
,bobld have preferred not to acquh
nay wife by capture"
"Ah? But my dear fellow, you
were obliged to make show of car
rying her of if you wished to do the
proper thing. The very bride cake at
your wedding, of which was given
a slice, is simply survival of the bar
barCus method Of marriage by eating
together. This latter custom is in
use today among many tribes of In
dams. Among modern savages you
will find the same customs in vogue
now that were doubtless used by our
own primitive ancestors, and this con
sideration alone renders study of
their ways very interesting.
Speaking of weddings reminds
one OF kissing the bride. Now, as to
that, kissing seems to us so natural
an expression of affection that we
should expect it to be found all over
the world. Yet it is unknown to the
the Australian, the New Zealanders,
the rapuans, natives of west Africa
and the Eskimo. In some parts OF
Central Africa it is considered
mark of respect to turn the back on
superior.
"rhe Todas Of the Nelgherry hills,
in India, show respect by raising
the open right hand and resting the
thumb on the end of the nose. Capt.
Cook asserts than the inhabitants of
an island in the Pacific ocean, called
Malicolo, show admiration by kiss
ing. Among the Eskimo it is custo-
mary to pull a persons nose as com
pliment. And among the Chinese,
] who are not savage but barbarous, a
I coffin is regarded as a neat and ap-
pIeci ate present for an aged person,
especially iii bad health. Wash
ington Star.
]