A PROCESSION. 299 



and after him, a body of very immodest dan 

 cers : these, as the procession moved but slowly, 

 halting frequently, had abundant opportunities 

 of displaying their shameless talent, for the be 

 nefit of the shouting rabble. Why the proces 

 sion should be disgraced by such an exhibition, 

 it was not easy to conceive ; but there were 

 many other inconceivable matters connected with 

 it. A troop of Indians followed, in motley and 

 grotesque attire, intended to represent savages : 

 they were armed with spears and shields, and 

 kept up a continual skirmish as they marched. 

 Next in procession was a battalion of infantry, 

 composed of boys armed with wooden muskets 

 and pasteboard cartridge-boxes, and followed 

 by a squadron of hussars, also boys, with drawn 

 sabres of wood, not riding, but carrying paste 

 board horses : each of these had a hole cut in 

 its saddle, through which the hussar thrust his 

 feet, relieving the charger from any actual ne 

 cessity of making use of his own though, to 

 show its high blood and mettlesome quality, 

 each emulated his fellow in prancing, rearing, 

 and kicking with front and hind-legs, to the 

 no small danger of discomfiting the parade order 



