April.] AT NEW LATTAKOO. m 
ing a countenance expressive of idiotism; the 
women, by turns stepping from their row, ap- I 
proached to and receded from the dancers, /f 
making similar motions with their hands and feet 
as the men, and putting on a similar stupidity of 
countenance. A relation of Mateebe's had her 
face strangely painted. Like the others it was 
smeared with red ochre, but an inch above and 
below her eyes was painted across with orange 
colour, and her legs with the same. Many of 
their attitudes and motions are significant; 
sometimes they elevate the hands above the head, 
as if gently putting oiF a covering, sometimes 
they stretch them out behind, as if to prevent a 
person pressing upon them, then before, as if 
wrapping ribbons round the arms. Again they 
appeared as if throwing something to the ground 
with which they are disgusted. Other motions 
resembled those of a person passing by some 
disagreeable object, which he was desirous that 
even his clothes should not touch. 
Viewing the scene again about twilight I ob- 
served an alteration had taken place in the dance. 
The women were now and then stepping from their 
rows, rushing towards the men and pushing against 
them, like bulls, with their heads ; if the man 
who was attacked, and who was endeavouring to 
keep his step in the dance, happened to be over- 
turned, it excited an universal laugh against him. 
