gues is astride a beam and endeavouring to
crawl up it; a third is actually on the roof and scatters the shrieking
girls everywhere by his impudent addresses; another bursts from a room
on the ground-floor holding ears of corn in each hand, and throwing
himself upon the earth begins to gnaw them as a dog would a bone, while
one of his companions leaps on him, and together they give a faithful
representation of two prairie wolves fighting over carrion. The greatest
uproar prevails all about; the Koshare are outdoing themselves; they
scatter delirious joy, pleasure, delight, broadcast among the people.

The rumblings of the drum are heard again; the men and women dancers
take their places; once more the chorus surround the musicians. The
clowns hush at once, and squat or lie down along the walls, sober and
dignified. The strange _corps de ballet_ re-forms in four lines, the
second and third facing each other, and the first and fourth fronting in
opposite directions; men and women alternate. Loud whoops and yells
startle the air; the drum rolls and thunders; each dancer brandishes his
rattle. Softly and gently, at first, the chant begins,--

"Ho-[=a]-[=a], Heiti-na, Heiti-na."

Gradually it increases in power, the dancers marking time. Livelier
become the motions, stronger and stronger the chanting, its text
distinct and clearly enunciated,--

"Misho-homa Shi-pap, Na-ya Ha-te Ma-a-a-se-ua,
U[=a]-tir-anyi, Tya-au-era-nyi,
Shoto Ha-ya Ma-a-a-se-ua,
Nat-yu-o-o, Nat-yu-o-o, Ma-a-a-se-ua,
Heiti-na, Heiti-na, Ho-[=a]-[=a], Ho-[=a]-[=a]."

The dancers intermingle; those in the front shift to the rear rank; then
all together utter a piercing shriek and dart back to their former
positions. The ceremony continues for upward of half an hour, during
which the same words are sung, the same figures repeated. Then there is
again a pause, and the actors disband to rest and recuperate. The clowns
forget their dignity and set to work with redoubled energy, growing
bolder and bolder. A party of them has penetrated into a ground-floor
apartment, and are throwing the scanty furniture through the doorway.
Now they spread robes and mats in the open court, lie down on them,
crack jokes, and make faces at the audience. A specially gifted member
of the fraternity hurries down a beam with a baby in his clutches, which
he has powdered with ashes. He dances about with it, and exhibits the
squalling