\54 
A CEUSADE IN THE EAST. 
branched off, and, ranging themselves round the room, sat 
down and covered up their heads, leaving nothing but their 
hats visible, and, doubling themselves up into as small a 
space as possible, remained so for some time quite motionless. 
After this, at a signal from the patriarch, who was bowing 
down and praying all the time, they slowly arose, and while 
he stood at the head of the hall with folded hands and down¬ 
cast head, each worshiper as he passed turned and bowed to 
the one in the rear, who bowed at the same time, bringing 
their heads almost to meet in front of the patriarch; and so 
they continued, each one bowing as he passed, till the whole 
party had bowed themselves through, three or four times in 
succession. They then ranged themselves round the hall 
again in their respective places, and, slowly casting off their 
cloaks, appeared in the dancing costume—a plain suit of 
white cotton, consisting of petticoats and a kind of roundabout, 
fastened at one side by the sash. No shoes were worn, and 
the tall strange hat still remained on the head; and now the 
music blew louder and wilder, and the dance commenced. 
Slowly and gracefully they merge into it, twirling around like 
the wooden figures on a hand-organ. The arms are extend¬ 
ed, the hands thrown out, the feet together as if on a pivot, 
and round and round they go, with their long beards, and pale 
faces, and downcast eyes, whirling on their feet like men 
worked by machinery—all but the old patriarch, who stands 
at the head with folded hands, and prays during the ceremony 
of the waltz with his accustomed gravity. From the outer 
circle they whirl mysteriously into the centre, and from the 
centre back again ; and soon the entire hall seems to be alive 
with the solemn waltzers. There is no noise but the blowing 
of the music and the low grinding of the feet. One almost 
wonders what powers of locomotion keep these men whirling 
around so long. They seem never to be tired ; the spectator 
grows dizzy in following them. Round they go, with dis¬ 
tended arms and sweeping petticoats, till you begin to think 
it must be all a strange vision, the grotesque dream of a dis¬ 
tempered fancy. You rub your eyes and look again. Sure 
snough there they are, turning like tops—the very dancing 
