presents, which continued to arrive on trajs. They
consisted much of the same kind of things given at
home on similar occasions, more however of a useful
than merely ornamental kind, from a mattress down to
a pair of patent leather shoes, varied by a large display
of flowers, fruit, and confectionery. A band of music
generally headed each fresh arrival of gifts, which
Madame la mère received at the entrance, uttering
some appropriate sentence, whilst sprinkling rose water
and throwing rice over them. All this time flowers,
condiments, and pawn—the latter consisting of bits of
areca nut mixed with a little quicklime and enclosed
in a leaf of the betel pepper (Chavica betel) ingeniously
tied together, which, when chewed, stains the
lips and saliva a deep red colour,—were handed round
amongst the company inside the house as well as in
the street, whilst some elegant silver flasks in filigree,
containing rose water, were passing from hand to hand,
or more correctly from nose to nose, up and down the
row. All the company being now assembled, they
started in procession for the bride’s house, headed by
the priests in long white robes ; first followed the men,
and then the women and children. Here carpets were
spread, and chairs placed in the centre for bride and
bridegroom to sit face to face, the women gathering
around them muttering all the time. During the early
part of the ceremony, a white sheet is held up between
the couple, which effectually prevents their seeing each
other’s face; their wrists and ankles are then loosely
tied together, and a white band or sash passed round
their waist. This done, a large ball of the mystic
thread is produced, which is wound round and round
the happy couple, thus irrevocably completing their
union. At this moment the two priests, who have
been holding up the sheet whilst repeating passages
from the sacred book, drop the former, and man and
wife are permitted to look upon each other’s heat-
stained features; but as if that indulgence were too
precious a privilege to continue, they are now placed
next to each other, the priest facing them, uttering
prayers or incantations as before. During this part of
the proceedings rice is thrown over the heads of the
pair, which is eagerly scrambled for by. the old women
•as foreboding luck. Incense is all this time burning
from a silver urn. For three nights this ceremony is
repeated, at the end of which man and wife retire to
their own hearth. A long wearisome business for the
•company, but how much more so for these two young
people! Of course a good deal of feasting goes on at certain
intervals, but even this is of a very sober kind, nothing
stronger than sherbet or lemonade being allowed to a
Parsee by his religion. Apropos of the custom of