MILITARY ADVENTURES. 183 



former first proved to us that he had the 

 greatest difficulty in squeezing himself; 

 he would then retire a few yards, and, on 

 the hoop being held up by another man, he 

 would make a little run and go through it 

 with ease, head foremost. One of the men 

 threw a hard cocoa nut high into the air, 

 and catching it on the top of his bare head 

 it was smashed to pieces, the milk running 

 down his face ; this cocoa nut was first 

 handed to me to inspect, that I might 

 know it had not been tampered with. The 

 girl now came forward and placed a small 

 silver coin on the ground ; then placing 

 herself with her back to it, and, doubtless, 

 judging her distance, she bent herself 

 backward, arching her slender body until 

 her face reached the coin, which she picked 

 up with her eyelid. This wonderful feat 

 led one to question whether she had any 



