Throughout the rude tribes of Asia and northern Europe, more especially among those of the Turco-Tartaric race, wife-purchase exists in its crudest form.[610] The _kalym_, or bride-price, is usually rendered in horses or cattle. The young Kirgese, for instance, has to pay from three hundred to one thousand head of cattle or one hundred mares for a wife, five mares being reckoned as the equivalent of a camel.[611] Ordinarily a widow depreciates in market value as compared with a maiden;[612] but the Turcoman is more practical, knowing the advantage of experienced service. Though generally a young girl may be had for five camels, he is quite willing to give fifty or even a hundred for a well-preserved widow.[613] The Tartar maiden of northern Asia is sold by her parents for such goods as pass current in exchange. She brings usually a variable number of sheep, horses, or cattle; but the price is also rendered in other commodities, such as brandy, beer, or linen. The contract is arranged with the utmost exactness between the parents. The future husband and wife are not even informed. In theory, at least, "their sentiments, their desires and antipathies, are not taken into consideration." When all is carefully specified, the contract of sale is legally completed before witnesses; but the bride is not delivered to the bridegroom until after the ceremony of marriage, which takes the form of symbolical capture.[614] In China the harsher features of this custom are somewhat softened. A "present is given by the father of the suitor, the amount of which is not left to the good will of the parties ... but is exactly stipulated for by the negotiators of the marriage," the transaction thus differing but little in form from an ordinary bargain, although it must not always be regarded as an actual contract of sale, but rather as a means of providing the wife's dower.[615] [610] See particularly KOHLER, in _ZVR._, V, 334 ff., who gives much interesting matter relating to these peoples; also POST, _op. cit._, 184 ff.; LETOURNEAU, _op. cit._, 143 ff.; WESTERMARCK, _op. cit._, 393, 395; SCHROEDER, _Hochzeitsbräuche_, _passim_; BUCH, _Die Wotjäken_, _loc. cit._ [611] POST, _op. cit._, 185, 186. Among the Kirgese of Semipalatinsk cattle are the unit of exchange in which other property is reckoned: _ibid._, 186. Post gives many interesting details as to prices of women among the Asiatic and European peoples. [612] POST, _ibid._, 190 ff., gives examples. "Bei den Osseten im Kaukasus zahlt man für Wittwen die Hälfte des Brautpreises der Jungfrau, bei den Arabern am Sinai die Hälfte oder ein Drittel."--_Ibid._, 191. _Cf._ also WESTERMARCK, _op. cit._, 392. [613] LETOURNEAU, _L'évolution du mariage_, 144. Women who have shown themselves fruitful sometimes bring more than girls: POST, _op. cit._, 190, 191; _Die Anfänge des Staats- und Rechtsleben_, 41 ff.; _Afrikanische Jurisprudenz_, I, 340, 341.