COCHINCHINA. 295 
roused, and he seemed the whole day to regard this officer as 
a very formidable and a dangerous man. 
In the farther division of the building a party of comedians 
was engaged in the midst of an historical drama when we en- 
tered ; but on our being seated the}^ broke off and, coming 
forward, made before us that obeisance of nine genuflexions 
and prostrations, which we had been so very uncivil to omit 
to the Mandarin and his painted skreen of silk ; after which 
they returned to their labours, keeping up an incessant noise 
and bustle during our stay. The heat of the day, the ther- 
mometer in the shade standing at 81° in the open air, and 
at least ten degrees higher in the building, the crowds that 
thronged in to see the strangers, the horrible crash of the 
gongs, kettle drums, rattles, trumpets, and squalling flutes, 
were so stunning and oppressive, that nothing but the novelty 
of the scene could possibly have detained us for a moment. 
The most entertaining as well as the least nois}^ part of the 
theatrical exhibition Avas a sort of interlude, performed by 
three young women, for the anmsement, it would seem, of 
the principal actress, who sat as- a spectator in the dress and 
character of some ancient Queen ; v/hilst an old eunuch, very 
whimsical!}'' dressed, played his antic tricks like a scin-amoucll 
©r buffoon in a Harlequin entertainment. The dialogue in 
this part differed entirely front the querulous and nearly 
monotonous recitative of the Chinese, being light and comic, 
and occasionally interrupted by cheerful airs, which generally 
concluded with a common chorus. These airs, rude and un- 
polished as they were, appeared to be regular compositionsj 
and were sung in exactly measured time. One in particular 
I 
