128 PASTIMES OF THE MOORS. 
forward as many places as he has thrown pieces of wood of 
the colour adopted by his party. When a player has reached 
the last hole in the middle row, he leaves his straw there ; 
if his adversary arrives at it also, the first straw is thrown 
out, and the player begins again as before. When all the 
holes in the middle row are taken, the player begins upon 
his adversary's, and they go on with the game, taking straws 
out of all the holes which they win from him ; when either 
party has lost all its holes the game is over. 
They have another game which they seldom play because 
it requires more exertion. They set up several small flat 
bones in a row, and a number of men with four stones each 
throw at the bones from a distance; he who knocks down 
the greatest number fillips the noses of his companions. 
The princes sometimes play at this game. The boys, who 
are not so lethargic as the men, and love running about, have 
a game which really gives them some exercise. They form 
a large circle ; one of them places himself in the middle, and 
all the others annoy him as they run round ; one strikes him, 
another pushes, or pulls him by his coussabe. The one in 
the middle endeavours to catch his assailants, and when he 
succeeds they change places. This is a very noisy game, for 
they all shout and scream as they run round. The girls also 
play at this game amongst themselves. 
It is during the Ramadan that the boys are circumcised, 
between the ages of four and twelve ; a marabout always 
performs the operation. The child is not to shew any sign 
of pain, but is required to hold a bit of wood in his mouth, 
and pick his teeth with it during the operation. Nothing 
is applied to the wound but some ass dung mixed with water, 
and this plaster is allowed to drop off of itself. The boys 
who have been circumcised run off into the woods, armed 
with bows and arrows, and amuse themselves with shooting 
at birds ; they do not return to the camp till two o'clock, 
when they eat sangleh ; at night they have nothing but milk 
