Ittslilutions of the Inhabitants qfBoutan. .51 1 



horns, and bells, to give the scene a more terrific effect. This figure was 

 presently followed by six in the same dress, who came out in pairs, and by 

 two who joined them afterwards. One of these had a head like a frog, the 

 other wore a pale mask not unlike a sign-painter's representation of the full 

 moon. Their motions were of the same kind as the preceding, but more 

 brisk and more animated. A mat was spread in the middle of the square, 

 and a small vessel placed upon it, round which the actors huddled together, 

 as witches would have done round a cauldron, and when they had exercised 

 themselves for about an hour in this mode, they danced in behind the cur- 

 tain and the show ended for the first day. 



The next morning the orchestra was filled as before, and the Rajah witii 

 his attendants took their places to behold the show, which opened with a 

 grinning figure, the same as above-described, who was soon joined by 

 thirteen more, five of whom had masks like the heads of hogs and tigers, 

 and tlie other eight were masked with monstrous gaping beaks. The whole 

 together presented a collection of more fiend-like visages than ever painter 

 represented in the temptation of Saint Antony, and the wild and clamorous 

 sound of the instruments seemed well adapted to make such devils dance. 

 Every mask was garnished with little ivory skulls, and each figure held a 

 symbolic instrument in either hand. The dresses were in other respects 

 the same as on the preceding day. After flourishing about with «' mops and 

 mowes " for an hour they disappeared. Four figures only came out next. 

 They danced for some time round a mat that had a small triangular 

 vessel placed upon it. They were then joined by those that had been seen 

 liefore, in all amounting to twenty-one. What followed was dancing, such 

 as we had been already entertained with, and the second day's amusement 

 closed. 



The third day was too nearly a repetition of the former two to deserve 

 a particular discription ; the same masks danced again in the same manner, 

 with the addition of a few more to the number. 



On the fourtli day the dancing was performed in the chapel before the 

 temporary altar, the Rajah and Lam Geysey were present, and the common 

 people were admitted to be spectators from the gallery above. Tlie per- 

 formers were the first set only : they held various symbolic instruments, 

 instead of tabrets, and had not room for so much agility as was shewn 

 witliout in the square. When it was over, the Kajah and Lam Geysey came 

 forth on the way to tiicir respective apartments. The latter answered the 



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