T H E G A R R O W H I L L S. 2£ 



•which is rnimating, though harfh and inharmonious, confining chief- 

 ly of tomtoms, and brafs pans, the firft generally beaten by the old peo- 

 ple, and the laft by the children. The women dance in rows and hop in the 

 fame manner, but hold their hands out, lowering one hand and railing the 

 other at the fame time, as themuiic beats, and occafionally turning round 

 with great rapidity. The men alfo exhibit military exercifes with the 

 fword and fhield, which they ufe with grace and great activity. Their 

 dancing at their festivals lafts two or three days, during which time they 

 drink and feaft to an excefs, infomuch that it requires a day or two after- 

 wards, to make them peifectly fober again, yet during this fit of feftivity 

 and drunkennefs they never quarrel. 



Marriage is in general fettled amongft the parties themfelves, though 

 fome times by their parents : if it has been fettled by the parties themfelves, 

 and the parents of either ref ufe their afTent, the friends of the opposite parly, 

 and even others unconnected, go and by force compel the diffenters to com- 

 ply ; it being a rule among the Narrows to affi-ft thofe that want their help, 

 on thefe occafions, let the difparity of age or rank be ever fo great. If 

 the parents do not accede to the wifh of their child, they are well beaten 

 till they acquiefce in the marriage, which being done, a day is fixed for 

 the fettle ment of the contract, or rather for a complimentary viiit from 

 the bride to the bridegroom, to fettle the day of marriage, and the articles, 

 of which the feaft mail confift, as well as tho company to be invited; and 

 they then make merry for the night. The invitations on thefe occafions 

 are made by the head man o^C'haung fending a paun to the inhabitants 

 of another Chauvg, as they cannot invite one out of a Chaung without the 

 reft: the man who carries the paun, flates the purpofe for which it is fent, 

 and the next day an anfwer is made, if the invitation be accepted, but not 



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