PROMKSA AGAINST DANCING. 157 



and somewhat disappointed, to see a young lady, 

 one of the gayest and best dancers in Chili, place 

 herself at the instrument. The gentlemen loud- 

 ly appealed against this proceeding; but she 

 maintained her place resolutely, declaring she 

 would not dance a single step. Seeing there was 

 some mystery in this, I took an opportunity of 

 begging to know what could have induced a per- 

 son, of so much good sense and cheerfulness, and 

 at the same time so fond of dancing, to make so 

 very preposterous a resolution. She laughed on 

 hearing the subject treated with such earnestness, 

 and confessed that nothing was farther from her 

 own wishes or habits than her present forbearance, 

 but that she was bound by what she called a Pro- 

 mesa, or engagement not to dance for a whole 

 year. I begged an explanation of this singular 

 obligation, when she told me, that, during there- 

 cent confinement of her sister, our host^s wife, at 

 a moment when her life was despaired of, her mo- 

 ther had made a vow, that, if she recovered, not 

 one of the unmarried girls should dance for twelve 

 months. Her younger sister was, however, dan- 

 cing ; and I found she had managed to evade tlje 



