143 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Motions, dress, cc. of the tarantati. 



vanced, and no tarantati (persons bitten, or pre- 

 tended to have been bitten, by the tarantula) had 

 begun to stir. He prevailed, however, upon a 

 woman who had been formerly bitten, to act the 

 part and dance the tarantata (as it is called) be- 

 fore him. Many musicians were summoned, and 

 she performed the dance, as all present assured 

 him, to perfection. At first she lolled stupidly 

 on a chair while the instruments were playing 

 some dull music, they touched at length the 

 chord supposed to vibrate to her heart; and up 

 she sprung with a most hideous yell, staggered 

 about, the room like a drunken person, holding a 

 handkerchief in both hands, raising them alter- 

 nately, and moving in very true time; as the 

 music grew brisker, her motions quickened, and 

 she skipped about with great vigor, and variety 

 of steps, every now and then shrieking very loud. 

 The scene was far from pleasant, and at his de- 

 sire an end was put to it before the woman was 

 tired. 



Wherever the tarantati are to dance, this <?en- 



o 



tleman informs us, a place is hung round with 

 bunches of grapes and ribbons ; the patients are 

 dressed in white, with red, green, or yellow rib- 

 bons, for those are their favorite colors ; on their 

 shoulders they cast a white scarf, let their hair 

 fall loose about their ears, and throw their heads 

 as far back as they can bear it; they are exact 

 copies of the ancient priestesses of Bacchus. 

 The introduction of Christianity abolished all 



