THE KING'S MAHOUT 13 



platform, roofed, but open on its four sides, three 

 girls danced and posed after the gracefully delib- 

 erate Siamese fashion, accompanied by the melo- 

 dious, always quick time, though dirge-like, music 

 of a small native orchestra. The dancing was of 

 the usual Oriental character, not, as popularly sup- 

 posed among Occidentals, of the " couchee cou- 

 chee " Midway variety, but a posturing in which 

 hands and arms and shoulders played the promi- 

 nent part. In a word it was a kind of slow walk- 

 around to exhibit and emphasize the movements of 

 arms and hands, the supreme test of the dancer 

 being suppleness of wrist and shoulder; some of 

 the most expert could bend back their hands so 

 that the long finger nails almost touched the fore- 

 arm. The band itself consisted of a group of 

 metal cups, ranging in size from five to fourteen 

 inches in diameter, a series of hollow bamboo 

 sticks, also arranged to scale, two drums and a kind 

 of flute ; and the musicians sat on the floor. 



Nearby, and attracting at least an equal number 

 of spectators, was another platform level with the 

 ground, where gambling proceeded industriously. 



Siamese silver money seems to have been fash- 

 ioned to meet the native passion for gambling. It 

 ranges in value (gold) from six cents up to sixty 

 cents, and in size from a small marble with its 

 four sides flattened (which describes the tical), 



