nounce to all concerned that Palo's first duty was
accomplished. The deep yet piercing tones must have sounded far into
the narrow valleys round.

Then poles were driven into the ground, to which the tusked pigs were
tied. Some were enormous beasts, and grunted savagely when anyone
came near them. I saw my companion of the morning lying cheerfully
grunting in the shade of a tree. Now came a peculiar ceremony, in
which all who had contributed pigs were supposed to take part. To my
disappointment, Mr. F. refused to join in. Palo took up his position
on the stone table, armed with a club. Out of a primitive door,
hastily improvised out of a few palm-leaves, the chiefs came dancing
in single file, swinging some weapon, a spear or a club. Palo jumped
down, danced towards them, chased each chief and finally drove them,
still dancing, back through the door. This evidently symbolized some
fight in which Palo was the victor. After having done this about
twenty times, Palo had to lead all the chiefs in a long dance across
the square, passing in high jumps between the pigs. After this he
needed a rest, and no wonder. Then the pigs were sacrificed with
mysterious ceremonies, the meaning of which has probably never been
penetrated. The end of it all was that Palo broke the pigs' heads
with a special club, and when night fell, twenty-six "tuskers" lay
agonizing on the ground. Later they were hung on trees, to be eaten
next day, and then everybody retired to the huts to eat and rest.

Some hours later great fires were kindled at both ends of the square,
and women with torches stood all around. The high-castes opened the
ball, but there was not much enthusiasm, and only a few youngsters
hopped about impatiently, until their spirits infected some older
people, and the crowd increased, so that at last everybody was raving
in a mad dance. The performance is monotonous: some men with pan-pipes
bend down with their heads touching, and blow with all their might,
always the same note, marking time with their feet. Suddenly one gives
a jump, others follow, and then the whole crowd moves a number of
times up and down the square, until the musicians are out of breath,
when they come to a standstill. The excitement goes on until the sun
rises. The women, as a rule, keep outside the square, but they dance
too, and keep it up all night; now and then a couple disappears into
the darkness.

Next morning Palo, who had hardly closed his eyes all nig