the veificl, m the ilirection of the cot»i>as8. alill il is one atid 

 the same principle : ooly the iQstrumetu is of a diUcrent con- 

 aiructbn.* 



IfATIVE DANCING GIRLS) OR ^ RONOOEt^as. 



Native actresses are cfllled )ft 5^ roH^^^-ett^s, and a o me 

 of them are tolerably handsome ; liiey let their hair fait loose, 

 and are dreased in embroidered garments, adorned with 

 golden floweta ; the upper part of the body ia however naked , 

 and the feet bare; they flourish a paper fan, sing native iongg^ 

 and perform savage danees, shaking their heada and glancing 

 their eyes, standing like storks and walking like cranes, they 

 act and aing, and play pantomime, occasionally with impro- 

 per gesiurcB. Sometimes two women perform togeiher, at 

 other times three or four females go through the daace. By- 

 slanders may also, if they choose, dance with them; which 

 ia called ^ jj@ sporting with the rojigg-eng^s. After the 

 [lerformance the yoimg women arc rewarded witli preicn li 

 of m&ney. Listening to those songs at a distance, on a clear 

 evening, the soimda seems Jaogui'd and melancholy, verify- 

 ing the proverb, that the music of foreign parta induces 

 sorrowful feeliog. When the performer! wear masks, they 

 are called topmgs ^ to-peng ) ; the songs and gambols 

 of these are aomething like those of the ro?ig-geng^Sj but mix- 

 ed up with more indecent and improptr crpresaions. The 

 natives in their vilJages are very fond of such, and call them 

 to dance night and day ; but whcreTcr the Chinese reft id Cj 

 they are not allowed to come into the town. There are also 

 puppets, or shadowy representations, callfid ^ lealhcrn 

 monkeys (from their being made of bulTalo hide,) which are 

 intended to depict the fabulous relations of the old Ja- 

 vanese: these puppets are fairy-like forms, made either to fly 



* The fact ie, that in a European niaTinor's compass the card is 

 attached to the needle, and )□ a Chinese corn pass th« needle is free, 

 60 that in the latter case Ihc eninpass must be contiiitially turned irt 

 accommodate it to the play of th« needle. 



II 



