the recently-married couple did not agree well, the groom
danced, spear in hand, before a hog, and then gave it the death-thrust,
praying meanwhile to his anito, and this was sufficient to make the
young couple agree. Now the couple go in festal procession in the
manner of a masquerade, to the house where they are to live. Then they
form another such procession, in order to convey the godparents to
their abodes, and with this the festival is at an end. And after so
great expense, they usually remain indebted for the small parochial
marriage fees, if the father minister has not been very prompt.

506. In regard to heirs, all the legitimate children equally inherited
all the property of their parents. If there were no legitimate
children, then the nearest relatives inherited. If one had two or
more children by two wives, all legitimate, each child inherited
what belonged to his mother, both of the wealth of her time, and of
the profits made from it, which could have belonged to her. As to
the dowry, it is inferred that the child's grandparents received it,
and spent it at the time of the wedding. If there were other children
who were not legitimate, who had been had by a free woman, they had
one-third of the property, and the legitimate children the other two
thirds. But in case that there were no legitimate children, then the
illegitimate children of a free woman were the absolute heirs. Some
property was given to the children of slave women according to the
wishes of the legitimate heirs, and the mother became free, as has
been stated above--as did the children also, in the manner already
explained.

507. They were also accustomed to have adopted children, and they are
still much addicted to this; but the adoption was purchased by the one
adopted, who gave the adopter a certain sum of gold, and, without any
other intricacies of law, the latter kept the one adopted, although
otherwise he had his own legitimate father. This was the contract made
in such cases. If the adopter reared the one adopted during his life
(whether he had other children or not), the one adopted was to inherit
the sum that had been given for his adoption--increased by a like sum,
obtaining in the inheritance twenty, if ten had been given. But if the
one adopted died first, the total obligation of the adopter expired,
even to the heirs of the one adopted. Over and above the inheritance
obligation, the adopter generally left the one adopted somethin