Page:History of India Vol 9.djvu/315

CHOOSING A WIFE 263 riage. Now they of the "Weinsja caste (of merchants), when any one speaketh of a snake on the day that they purpose to go make their first suit, hold that for an AN INDIAN SNAKE CHARMER. ill omen; but if they see a snake on that day, then must they let the matter rest and never again think of carrying out their purposed suit, since they deem that this would be an evil and unlucky marriage. Also these Weinsja take a half pagode, or a half-ducat of