ON THE COAST OF AREAN 109 



It was indeed a pleasant picture with the 

 starlight overhead, and around us for back- 

 ground the shadowy mountain side, and the 

 cottages with their open doors ; and, towards 

 the sea, the tall ships' masts swaying to and 

 fro as the tide began to flow into the harbour. 

 ' Is it not a pity,' we said, as we turned to go, 

 ' that there should be left for our people so little 

 of healthy outdoor enjoyment such as we have 

 seen here to-night ? ' On inquiry we found that 

 these dances were regularly held whenever the 

 musician could be got. 



And the musician : what of him ? He de- 

 serves a passing word, for like the dance he 

 seems to belong to an Arcadian period which 

 has almost entirely disappeared. He is a pack- 

 man who walks round the island about once a 

 month. He carries a heavy burden on his back 

 and, having his hands at liberty, he plays his 

 simple music for his own pleasure as he trudges 

 along. I have often met him playing on lonely 



