96 WOOTAIR. 



space quite deafening. Receiving a small present of 

 tobacco, he gave place to two young girls, who, 

 standing, rehearsed a variety of children's dances — 

 if that could be called dancing where the feet were 

 never lifted ; they were rather mimic displays of some 

 subject unknown to us. After these and some other 

 actors had concluded their performances, we signified 

 our desire to repose ; the numerous gazers were then 

 dismissed, curtains let down, skins of the deer and 

 sheep arranged for bedclothes, and all cold air care- 

 fully excluded by tucking the bottoms of the pendent 

 walls closely under the inner skins. The lights were 

 then extinguished, one only being reserved in the outer 

 area, where the dogs lay ; and we passed the night 

 very pleasantly, the apartment being warm, without 

 being oppressive. 



Wootair lies upon the shore of a shallow bay, 

 indenting northwards ; a small shallow river, which 

 we crossed in coming, runs into it. The coast as far 

 as this runs nearly west, but from a bold headland 

 projecting from the western extremity of the bay, it 

 trends to the northward. We were told that the 

 river was not more than knee-deep, and only afforded 

 fish about the size of sprats ; its outlet could not well 

 be defined, snow-drift so completely disguising the 

 correct formation of the land. Exposed to the whole 



