d make merry for an hour
or two, before bed-time. On this occasion, they appear in their
best attire. The women, who come before the men, have a number
of little bells tinkling at their feet. The men carry little
fans or rather whisks in their hand made of the tails of
elephants and horses, much like the brushes used to brush
pictures; only that theirs are gilt at both ends. They meet
usually about sunset. Their music consists of horn-blowers or
trumpeters, drummers, players on the flute, and the like; being
placed a-part by themselves. The men and women, who compose the
dance, divide into couples, facing each other, as in our
country-dances, and forming a general dance, fall into many wild
ridiculous postures, advancing and retreating, leaping, stamping
on the ground, bowing their heads, as they pass, to each other,
and muttering certain words; then snapping their fingers,
sometimes speaking loud, at other times whispering, moving now
slow, now quick, and shaking their fans.

Artus and Villault add, that they strike each another's
shoulders alternately with those fans; also that the women,
laying straw-ropes in circles on the ground, jump into or dance
round them; and clicking them up with their toes, cast them in
the air, catching them as they fall with their hands.

They are strangely delighted with these gambols; but do not care
to be seen at them by strangers, who can scarce refrain
laughing, and consequently putting them out of countenance.

After an hour or two spent in this kind of exercise, they retire
to their respective homes.

Their dances vary according to times, occurrences, and places.
Those which are in honor of their religious festivals, are more
grave and serious. There have been sometimes public dances
instituted by order of their Kings, as at Abrambo, a large town
in Widaw, where annually, for eight days together, there
resorted a multitude of both sexes from all parts of the
country. This was called the dancing-season. To this solemnity
all came dressed in the best manner, according to their
respective ability. The dance was ridiculous enough; but it
served to keep up their agility of body. And amidst all the
uncouth barbarism of their gestures and attitudes, nature breaks
out into some expressions of joy, or of the passions, that would
not be unworthy of an European's observation.

They have also their kind of Pirrhic dances, which they execute
by mock-skirmishing in cadence, and striking