MASTER OF THE CEREMONIES. 179 
courier, in the short, red uniform-jacket of an 
English drummer, an uncommonly showy, many- 
coloured girdle, and the rest of his body, ac- 
cording to custom, quite naked. His legs were 
adorned by a tattooed representation of panta- 
loons ; and when he turned his back and stooped 
very little, he showed also a drawing of a large 
compass, with all the two-and-thirty points exe- 
cuted with striking exactness. In his hand he 
held a rusty broad-sword, and on his head was 
proudly displayed an old torn three-cornered 
hat, with a long red feather. Our interpreter 
described him as the royal Master of the Cere- 
monies ; but it afterwards appeared, that though 
not apparently belonging to the Yeris, but to 
the smaller race, he held several other offices in 
conjunction with this—those of cook and cham- 
berlain, for example: his talent, however, seemed 
most to incline to that of court-fool or harlequin. 
In all his motions, gestures and grimaces, he 
displayed so singular a vivacity, that he might 
have been considered insane. Without the least 
ceremony, or paying the slightest attention to 
me, he took possession of my whole house. 
Several servants, in the livery of nature, fol- 
