THE JOURNEY UP. 67 



where at certain parts of the service the women 

 all commence groaning and sobbing so loud that 

 you can scarcely hear the clergyman. This, how- 

 ever, soon passes off, and is scarcely worth notice. 

 These Laps, however, must have been far more 

 susceptible, or far more wicked, for all at once, 

 when the communion service began, two or three 

 women sprung up in different parts of the church, 

 and commenced frantically jumping, howling, 

 shrieking, and clapping their hands. I observe! 

 one middle-aged female particularly energetic, and 

 who sank down in a kind of fit after about ten 

 minutes' exertion. The infection soon spread, 

 and in a few minutes two-thirds of the congrega- 

 tion "joined in the cry," and all order was at an 

 end. Five or six would cluster round one indivi- 

 dual, hugging, kissing, weeping, and shrieking till 

 I really thought some would be smothered. One 

 old patriarch in particular, who sat close behind 

 me, seemed an object of peculiar veneration, and 

 the Laps crowded from all parts of the church to 

 hug him. How he stood it I can't imagine ; but 

 he sat meekly enough, and at one time I counted 

 no less than seven " miserable sinners" hanging 

 about the old man, all shrieking and weeping. 

 The religious orgies of the wild aborigines in 

 Australia round their camp fire are not half so 

 frightful as this scene, for they at least do not 



