274 RIFLE AND SPEAR WITH THE RAJPOOTS. 



in the middle of the floor, with three musicians behind 

 them. Two of these had string instruments, something 

 like exaggerated banjoes, played, or rather scraped, with 

 a bow ; the third had the native tom-tom. When we 

 entered, I thought the orchestra was tuning up, but learnt 

 they were conscientiously executing a favourite Indian air. 

 The dancers then began, but there was little of our own 

 idea of dancing in their movements, and their poses were 

 rigid and mechanical. The Indian poets liken the gait of 

 their heroines to a " young elephant," or a " goose " — so 

 perhaps they came up to their standard of gracefulness. 

 Eising to their feet, they moved slowly round in the 

 stiffest possible manner, all the while keeping to the same 

 spot of ground, varied by an occasional shuffle towards us. 

 The arms were outstretched, with the hands waving slowly 

 backwards and forwards. One girl wore very full skirts of 

 black and gold, and a pink and gold sari (scarf) with a mauve 

 velvet border ; the other had a red and gold dress, with a 

 violet scarf. Both had heavy bracelets all up their arms, 

 and a number of anklets and toe-rings, besides being loaded 

 with all kinds of jewellery. 



I must say I came to this nautch with some hesitation, 

 and a vague idea there was a spice of impropriety about it. 

 Never have I been so undeceived ! The Nonconformist Con- 

 science might have witnessed it undisturbed ; and it is no 

 exaggeration to say that a London ballet, after the strictest 



