248 EAMBLE8 OF A NATUEALIST. [Oh. XV. 



nights, and great beating of tom-toms in the same vicinity, 

 I threaded my way through the crowded Chinese streets, 

 and guided by the glare, found myself in front of a Kling 

 mosque of the usual tawdry description, with miniature 

 windows, and two small minarets, the whole front whitened, 

 and hung with numerous lamps, consisting of small glass 

 tumblers of oil. Crowds of Klings were going in and out, 

 and loitering before the mosque ; and a great many Chinese 

 were gathered as spectators. On the opposite side of the 

 street was a picturesque group of Klings seated cross- 

 legged in a semicircle, each alternate one having in his 

 hand a large tambourine, and the central seat beiug occu- 

 pied by one who appeared to be the president or chief 

 priest, in front of whom a fire was burning in a brazier, 

 which was fed with combustible matter from time to time, 

 blazing up and throwing a picturesque glare upon the 

 swarthy figures seated around, the standing crowd of Klings 

 behind them, and the outside mob of Chinese, who were 

 spectators. 



Presently a man came forward with two awl-shaped in- 

 struments, which having first smeared with ashes from the 

 brazier, he deferentially presented to the chief priest, who 

 taking them in both hands, closed his eyes, and muttering 

 some words over them, returned them. The man then 

 began to dance, while the tambourines were struck in a 

 measured manner, the strikers swaying themselves back- 

 ward and forward, and becoming gradually more and more 

 excited, until at length the perspiration poured down their 

 bodies. Meantime the devotee in the centre danced on 

 with frantic gestures, and flourishing his two weapons in 

 his hand, he thrust them (or pretended to thrust them) into 

 his belly (his only costume was a cloth round the loins) ; 



