1812. 
DANCING. 
63 
found no small degree of amusement in holding a conversation by 
signs. As, in these dialogues, we must frequently have mistaken each 
other's meaning, information thus obtained was very rarely committed 
to paper : but they had their use, and a very important one, — they 
often supplied a source of mirth and good humour, and always con- 
tributed to our mutual confidence. 
In the evening, about eight o'clock, I again went up to the kraal, 
having heard from the Hottentots, that these hordes are so fond of 
dancing, that scarcely a night passes without some party of that kind at 
one or other of the huts. Nor was I disappointed, for in the circle of 
houses, most of which were enlivened by a fire, and all quite filled with 
people, I soon discovered one of a more busy appearance than the rest. 
It was nearly the largest, and contained as many persons, both men and 
women, as could find room to seat themselves in a ring, leaving but 
space enough in the centre for the dancer to stand in. A fire, just 
without the entrance, threw its cheerful light upon this singular 
assembly, and was, from time to time, supplied with fuel for the pur- 
pose of keeping up a blaze. 
My arrival, though unexpected, did not interrupt their amuse- 
ment, or occasion the shortest pause in the dancer's performance. 
He was then wrought up to that high degree of animation and in- 
ternal satisfaction, at which he heeded nothing around, and thought 
only of himself The spectators, when I approached, turned their 
faces towards me with looks which plainly spoke how pleased they 
were to see me come amongst them ; and I, therefore, in imitation of 
their own familiar manner, seated myself down in the circle. 
As the size of these huts, does not admit of a person's standing 
upright, even in the largest, the dancer was obliged to support him- 
self by two long sticks, which he held in his hands, and which rested 
on the ground at as great a distance from each other, as could be 
done with convenience. His body was consequently bent forwards 
in a position which seemed as constrained, and as unsuited for danc- 
ing, as imagination could devise: but it was not possible for the 
motion of the limbs, to be less impeded by clothing, as he wore 
