WILD OEGIES. 279 



ally I had caught myself accompanying the performance 

 with an involuntary Saint Vitus' dance in every limb ; and 

 though on each occasion I had stopped it with a determina- 

 tion to control myself and do so no more, I soon became 

 recaptured by the influence of the scene, " the spirit of the 

 revel" seized upon me, my attention, absorbed by chant and 

 dance, was distracted from myself, and the saint resumed his 

 possession of me. 



At last increase of speed became impossible ; when, on 

 the women falling back until their two lines came together, 

 the men, instead of also retiring as before, followed them 

 up, and the four end men of the lines catching hold of 

 one another, the female dancers were enclosed in a long 

 oval. Instantly the women, leaving go of each other's hands, 

 threw their arms wildly upwards, and a universal yell split 

 the night air. Then, ducking their heads, the Hiloes rushed 

 in every direction against the cordon of men surrounding 

 them, trying to break through it. There was a momentary 

 wild struggling melee, and then the women broke through 

 in twenty places. Closely pursued by the braves, they 

 scudded away, each on her own line, for the surrounding 

 cover. For a few seconds there was a loud, confused 

 crackling, snapping noise as the two hundred and more 

 Indians crashed headlong into the cane and underbrush. 

 Then a deathlike stillness succeeded. So still was it that 

 the occasional low hum of some straggling mosquito seemed 

 a loud audacious disturbance. Soon all came trooping back 

 and rallied round the cluster of old warriors standing by the 

 barrel. The covering robe was thrown aside. Each guardian 

 angel (?) took his gourd cup, dipped it full of mescal, and 

 everyone had a drink. 



