The newly-married couple, on coming out of the church, for they were converted, met the old woman, vociferating and tearing her hair, and abusing the missionary, but telling him at the same time in a low voice not to mind, for she was not serious.[1]
In certain districts of New Zealand the future husband was obliged literally to carry off the girl. When the marriage was negotiated and, in principle, concluded, all the relatives watched the fiancée with the greatest care, and held themselves in readiness to defend her. The young man had to seize his bride at all costs by force of arms; his honour depended on it, and often he suffered severely in conducting his glorious enterprise to a successful end.[2]
The ceremonial of capture evidently springs from customs of rape, whether ancient or not; it is, therefore, quite natural to meet with razzias among the Bedouins, as among all of their race. With the Bedouins of Sinai, the comedy is played to the life. The bridegroom, accompanied by a couple of friends, attacks the girl when she is leading the flocks home. She defends herself vigorously by throwing stones, and is esteemed according to the amount of energy she shows. At length they finish by taking her to the tent of her father, where the name of her future husband is proclaimed. After this the girl is dressed as a bride, placed on a camel, all the time feigning resistance, and conducted to the encampment. A feast and presents terminate the ceremony.[3]
With the Mezeyn Arabs things are pushed further. The girl, in the so-called capture, evades pursuit and takes refuge in the mountains, where her friends have prepared provisions for her beforehand. The bridegroom rejoins his future wife in her retreat, and it is there that the marriage is consummated. After this the couple return to the paternal domicile, which the woman, unless she is with child, does not quit for a year.
The matrimonial comedy is not always so complicated. With the Amezas the bride only runs from tent to tent, and is at last conducted by several women to a tent prepared at
