MUSIC AND DANCING. 351 



the little silver bells attached to their anklets, as 

 they kept time to the music, by bringing their 

 ankles together or by a pat of toe or heel causing 

 them to tinkle. Their voluminous dresses, white, 

 with coloured borders, fell in numberless plaited 

 folds to within a few inches of the feet, completely 

 eclipsing in amplitude of skirt, when expanded, the 

 most extensive dress that was ever mounted on 

 crinoline ; gathered in a little under the bosom 

 the lower folds of the dress were so arranged that 

 they could be taken in the hand and waved about, 

 the weight and extent of the drapery below per- 

 mitting this without exposing any more of the 

 coloured trousers, which fitted in wrinkles tight to 

 the ankle. A scarf of red and gold depending from 

 the head was wound loosely over the dress, and the 

 adornment was completed by huge golden rings, 

 some inserted through the cartilage of the nose and 

 ears, and others fixed on the fingers and toes. 



After dancing for awhile singly, the two girls 

 joined company. Occasionally by rapid twirls the 

 skirts of the dress were expanded, and taking an 

 end between the fingers they would weave them 

 about with undulating movements of the arms. 



The evolutions, though not ungraceful, were stiff, 

 constrained, and monotonous, and mostly performed 

 with the body rigidly erect. There is no spright- 



