adultery, both the man and the woman are inevitably put to death. Therefore, their women seldom bestow any pains in ornamenting them→ selves. The settled Koreki are quite the reverse; they always, when one man visits another, present their wife or daughter for him to lie with. The marriage ceremony of both is as follows: when a man has a fancy to any parti

cular female, he goes to reside with her parents, and at the end of a certain period they either let him have their daughter, or pay for his services during that period; in the former case, he goes to the tent of the bride, and endeavours to strip her naked, in which he is stoutly opposed by several women, who tear his hair and scratch his face; he then seems as if he would retreat, but is called back by the relenting bride, and, the attendants retiring, the marriage is con→ summated.

With the SAMOIEDES, however, the custom is somewhat different, who, when he wants a wife, looks for her in some other family than his own. Beauty is not an object; they choose one equal to themselves in rank and property. Having appointed a person from among his own friends to transact the business, the ne

gociator waits upon the father of the young. woman, and enquires whether the young man can have her. If the father accept the proposal, the negociator settles the kalym, or price to be paid, which generally consists of a variety of clothes, household necessaries, rein deer, and other matters purchased from the Russians. As soon as the youth has paid the kalym, it is settled when the bride's portion is to be paid, and when she shall be ready to give her hand. On the day appointed, the bridegroom attends with a number of women to fetch the bride; they are then married. In case of divorce, the kalym is returned. Should the women die soon after the marriage, the widower claims a return to the kalym, if respect for the deceased do not prevent the

return.

The ALEUTIANS take one, two, or three wives, as they have the means of supporting them. They have no nuptial ceremonies. The bridegroom commonly treats with the parents for the bride, and promises what he thinks he can afford, either in clothes, baidars, or what are termed Kalga, which is prisoners made in other islands, or destitute orphans, who are consigned

over to a rich Aleutian to labour for their bare subsistence, and may be transferred to another on the same conditions. When the parties are agreed, the bridegroom begins to visit the bride, when he spends whole days with her in the character of a lover. If they have any regard for each other, the bridegroom either takes her to his dwelling or repairs for a continuance to hers; and, if they continue to live in harmony, the bride's father makes presents to his son-inlaw; on the contrary, should the man not be satisfied with his wife, he may send her to her father again, but has no right to demand his own presents back again; but, should the woman refuse to stay with him, in that case he may demand back all that he gave for her. No man is allowed to sell his wife without her consent; but he can resign her over to another, either for a term of years, or for a continuance, which is not unfrequent. The Russian hunters in particular make use of this privilege, and take Aleutian women or girls for a time, for which they give a trifling compensation. It never happens that a wife grants her favours without the consent of her husband; for in this barter of their persons they are not

influenced by love, but merely the desire of gain; nor was this custom so frequent before the arrival of the Russians, neither is it practised by any but those whose thirst of gain has stifled their natural sense of shame; there are, however, many who would not for any emolument whatever allow of so disgraceful a practice. It is said, that formerly gain was not the motive, but a sort of compassion and cordial attachment to an individual upon his return after a long absence. Hence it is that the husband, who can never claim the children with any certainty as his own, has not an equally unlimited power over them with the mother; nay, he has less authority over them than their uncles by the mother's side. The children of one father by different mothers are not considered as brothers and sisters, but are permitted to intermarry. The distribution of the father's property at his decease is regulated by his relations, who usually leave the larger part for his widows and children, and take the rest themselves. the wife have an affection for the deceased, she cuts the hair off the crown of her head, and keeps the body for some time in the hut before it is interred, frequently several weeks. A mother too

If

will often keep the body of a dead child till she has another, which is sometimes kept twelve months on that account.

LAPLAND, GREENLAND, ICELAND.

THE Lapland marriage customs are very remarkable and ludicrous. When a young man has made choice of a female, he employs some friends as mediators with the girl's parents.The negociators being supplied with several bottles of brandy, proceed therewith to the hut of the girl's father, accompanied by the suitor, but he is not allowed to enter until the liquor is drunk, over which they discuss the proposal. The lover is then called in, and entertained with such fare as the hut affords, but without seeing his mistress, who, on this occasion, is obliged to retire. When he has obtained permission to pay his addresses to the girl in person, he goes home, dresses himself in his best attire, and returns to the hut; when his mistress makes her appearance, he salutes her with a kiss, and presents her with the tongue of a rein-deer, a piece of beaver's flesh, or some kind of provision. The girl at first declines the offer, it being in the