for the bridegroom, creeping on all fours, to receive on his back
a large pannier full o f ftones, which he was obliged to carry until
the bride, in token that Ihe was no longer a maiden, came and
relieved him o f the heavy load, by throwing the pannier on the
ground.
In one pariih in Finland (one o f thefe parilbes, it is to be ob-
ferved, is equal in extent to a whole province in moft other countries)
it is the cuftom for young women to wear, fuipended at
their girdles, the cafe or Iheath o f a knife, as a iign that they are
unmarried, and would have no objeilion to a hufband. When
a young man becomes enamoured with any o f thofe damiels, his
manner o f courting her is, to purchafe, or caufe to be made, a
knife in the exa<ft form o f the (heath, and to take an opportunity o f
flipping it into the iheath ilily w ithout the girl’s perceiving it. I f
the girl, on finding the knife in the iheath, keep it, it is a favourable
iymptom: i f not, it is" a refufal.
In the pariih o f Kemi, before the day appointed or propofed
for the marriage ceremony, the young people lleep together for a
whole week, but without quite undrefling; and this is called, the
•week o f the breeches. It will, no doubt, be immediately recolleiled
by my readers, that this is an exaft counterpart to the bundling of
the Anglo-Americans. If, in confequence o f the familiarities
that pafs during the “ week o f the breeches,” their love be
ftrengthened, they marry ; but if, on the other hand, their mutual
affeftions be leflened, the marriage does not take place.
Another particular that appeared very iingular among the cufitoms