348 AVOYAGETO 



»777- prefented, one by one, on the forked flicks, as they came 



; v-..^ in, to two men, who fat on the left ; and who, till now, 



held green branches in their hands. The firfl fifh they 

 laid down on their right, and the fecond on their left. When 

 the third was prefented, a ftout looking man, who fat be- 

 hind the other two, reached his arm over between them, 

 and made a fnatch at it ; as alfo did the other two, at the 

 very fame time. Thus they feemed to contend for every 

 fifh that was prefented; but as there were two hands againft 

 one, belides the advantage of fituation, the man behind got 

 nothing but pieces ; for he never quitted his hold, till the 

 fifh was torn out of his hand ; and what little remained in 

 it, he fliook out behind him. The others laid what they 

 got, on the right and left alternately. At length, either by 

 • accident or defign, the man behind got pofTefTion of a whole 

 fifh, without either of the other two fo much as touching 

 it. At this, the word mareeai, which fignifies very good, or 

 well dotie, was uttered in a low voice throughout the whole 

 crowd. It feemed, that he had performed now all that was 

 expected from him ; for he made no attempt upon the 

 few fifh that came after. Thefe fifli, as alfo the baflvcts, 

 were all delivered, by the perfons who brought them in, 

 fitting ; and, in the fame order and manner, the fmall 

 poles, which the firfl procefTion carried, had been laid upon 

 the ground. 



The laft procefTion being clofed, there was fome fpeak- 

 ing or praying, by different perfons. Then, on fome lignal 

 being given, we all flarted up, ran feveral paces to the lefr^ 

 and fat down with our backs to the prince, and the few 

 who remained with him. I was defired not to look behind 

 me. However, neither this injundion, nor the remem- 

 brance of Lot's wife, difcouraged me from facing about. 



5 I now 



