400 Voyage of the Novara. 



up by dancing round in a circle in couples. A boy of 

 eight, in glittering costume, next performed a dance, in 

 which he was accompanied by a grown-up Cingalese who 

 snug, occasionally accompanied by drum and fife. Fre- 

 quently we enquired what was the meaning of the vocal 

 accompaniment to the dance, but could get no information 

 upon the subject. But we have always had occasion to 

 remark among the various primitive races, that they are 

 rarely able to give any connected account of the history of 

 their dances or even their songs, but simply go througli a 

 set of mechanical figures which they have learned, or re- 

 hearse a set of words by rote, without being able to assign 

 any signification to either. Over and over again have we 

 put the question, only to receive the same stereotyped 

 answer from Hindoos, Negroes, Chinese, Malays, and Poly- 

 nesians, that they could tell us nothing more than that these 

 songs and dances took their origin in the " olden times." 

 Breakfast was served in the arbour by Cingalese boys. As 

 often as the hospitable Father turned to apologize for his 

 scanty means, which prevented him from ministering to our 

 entertainment as he could wish, some new dish would be 

 forthcoming, or some fresh kind of wine would be produced, 

 till one knew not which most to admire, the variety of the 

 entertainment, or its cost in preparation. 



On inquiring of Father Miliani, in the course of conver- 

 sation, whether he had any acquaintance with the plants to 

 which the natives ascribe healing properties, he sent for a 



