Japan and the Japanese

MARRIAGE CEREMONIES. 437
were, to each other the alliance already contracted between the
bride and bridegroom.
Next follows the delivery of certain presents on the part of the
bride to the bridegroom, his relatives and the servants of the house-
hold. These are brought by a female, who arranges them in order
in an adjoining room, and hands written lists of them to the medi-
ator, who passes it to the bridegroom's father, who, having received
the paper, returns thanks, then reads the lists aloud, and again
returns thanks.
The bridegroom then presents the bride with two robes, one with
a red and the other with a black ground, embroidered with gold or
silver. The bride retires, puts on these robes, and again returns.
Refreshments of a peculiar kind then follow, the bride, to spare hei
bashfulness, being suffered to eat in a room by herself.
This entertainment over, the parents of the bride prepare to
leave her. They are accompanied by those of the bridegroom, and
by the bride herself, to the door ; the bridegroom with two servants
bears candles, shows the way, and takes leave with compliments.
Sometimes the bridegroom proceeds, that same night, with his
parents and the mediator, to the house of the bride's father, where
the contracting of relationship by drinking saki is again gone
through with, the bride remaining behind in her husband's house,
where she is meanwhile entertained by his brothers. On this occa-
sion the father of the bride presents his new son-in-law with a
sabre. Presents are also delivered on the part of the bridegroom
to the bride's relations.
The feasting over, the bridegroom and his parents return home,
and are received at the door by the bride.
In making the bed for the bride, her pillow is placed towards the
north (the practice followed with the dead, for she is thenceforward
to be considered as dead to her parents). Such is stated to have
been the ancient custom, though now generally disused.
The beds having been prepared, the bride is conducted to hers by
one of the women appointed to attend her, and the same person
introduces the bridegroom into the apartment. The young couple
are waited on by the male and female butterflies. One of the
bride's women sleeps secretly in the adjoining chamber.
The bridal chamber is abundantly furnished with all the numer
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