318 A JOURNEY TO THE 



and the conversation soon becomes general. As they are on 

 their first meeting acquainted with all the bad news, they have 

 by this time nothing left but good, which in general has so far 

 the predominance over the former, that in less than half an 

 hour nothing but smiles and cheerfulness are to be seen in 

 every face ; and if they be not really in want, small presents of 

 provisions, ammunition, and other articles, often take place ; 

 sometimes merely as a gift, but more frequently by way of 

 trying whether they cannot get a greater present. 



They have but few diversions ; the chief is shooting at a 

 mark with bow and arrows ; and another out-door game, 

 called HoU, which in some measure resembles playing with 

 quoits ; only it is done with short clubs sharp at one end. 

 They also amuse themselves at times with dancing, which is 

 always performed in the night. It is remarkable that those 

 people, though a distinct nation, have never adopted any mode 

 of dancing of their own, or any songs to which [334] they 

 can dance ; so that when anything of this kind is attempted, 

 which is but seldom, they always endeavour to imitate either 

 the Dog-ribbed or Southern Indians, but more commonly the 

 former, as few of them are sufficiently acquainted either with the 

 Southern Indian language, or their manner of dancing. The 

 Dog-ribbed method is not very difficult to learn, as it only 

 consists in lifting the feet alternately from the ground in a 

 very quick succession, and as high as possible, without moving 

 the body, which should be kept quite still and motionless ; 

 the hands at the same time being closed, and held close to the 

 breast, and the head inclining forward. This diversion is 

 always performed quite naked, except the breech-cloth, and 

 at times that is also thrown off; and the dancers, who seldom 

 exceed three or four at a time, always stand close to the music. 

 The music may, by straining a point, be called both vocal and 

 instrumental, though both are sufficiently humble. The for- 

 mer is no more than a frequent repetition of the words, hee, 

 hee, hee, ho, ho, ho, &c. which, by a more or less frequent 



