804-805)
will illustrate the custom: "An interesting account of the manner in which
such post-mortem marriages were concluded at the period when the Sung
Dynasty governed the Empire, is given by a contemporary work in the
following words: 'In the northern parts of the Realm it is customary, when
an unmarried youth and an unmarried girl breathe their last, that the two
families each charge a match-maker to demand the other party in marriage.
Such go-betweens are called match-makers for disembodied souls. They
acquaint the two families with each other's circumstances, and then cast
lots for the marriage by order of the parents on both sides. If they augur
that the union will be a happy one, (wedding) garments for the next world
are cut out, and the match-makers repair to the grave of the lad, there to
set out wine and fruit for the consummation of the marriage. Two seats are
placed side by side, and a small streamer is set up near each seat. If
these streamers move a little after the libation has been performed, the
souls are believed to approach each other; but if one of them does not
move, the party represented thereby is considered to disapprove of the
marriage. Each family has to reward its match-maker with a present of
woven stuffs. Such go-betweens make a regular livelihood out of these
proceedings.'" - H. C.]
The Ingushes of the Caucasus, according to Klaproth, have the same custom:
"If a man's son dies, another who has lost his daughter goes to the father
and says, 'Thy son will want a wife in the other world; I will give him my
daughter; pay me the price of the bride.' Such a demand is never refused,
even though the purchase of the bride amount to thirty cows." (Travels,
Eng. Trans. 345.)
NOTE 4. - There is a little doubt about the reading of this last paragraph.
The G. T. has - "Mes desormes volun retorner a nostre conte en la grant
plaingne ou nos estion quant nos comechames des fais des Tartars,"
whilst Pauthier's text has "Mais desormais vueil retourner a mon conte
que Je lessai d'or plain quant nous commencames des faiz des Tatars."
The former reading looks very like a misunderstanding of one similar to
the latter, where d'or plain seems to be an adverbial expression, with
some such meaning as "just now," "a while ago." I have not, however, been
able to trace the expression elsewhere. Cotgrave has or primes, "but
even now," etc.; and has also de plain, "presently, immediately, out of
hand." It seems quite possible that d'or plain should have had the
meaning suggested.
CHAPTER LVI.
SUNDRY PARTICULARS OF THE PLAIN BEYOND CARACORON.
And when you leave Caracoron and the Altay, in which they bury the bodies
of the Tartar Sovereigns, as I told you, you go north for forty days till
you reach a country called the PLAIN OF BARGU.[NOTE 1] The people there
are called MESCRIPT; they are a very wild race, and live by their cattle,
the most of which are stags, and these stags, I assure you, they used to
ride upon.
