[68] The youth’s representatives had further the right to interview the girl, and personally assure themselves that she was “without blemish and without spot.” This interview passed by the name of the “Inspection of the Buffalo-calf,” and was conducted somewhat as follows:—When the youth’s representatives (the Wooing Party) go to inspect the girl, one of them says—
“See how fruitful are the satela yams,
Where the hills of Bantan rise by the sea;
I know not whether good luck or calamity will follow it,
But my heart turns towards you.”
Here one of the girl’s representatives says, “Look well at this buffalo-calf of mine that has been allowed to forage for itself. Maybe its coat is torn, its limbs broken, or its sight lost.” The youth’s representative, if all is satisfactory, then replies—
“The sun being so high,
The buffalo-calf will die if tethered;
This long while have I been prosecuting my search,
But not till to-day did I meet with what I wanted.”