chap. xm. DANCING BEFORE THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS. 371 
the best. I told them some kinds in both countries were 
very good, and so was the music of Germany, in some re¬ 
spects, better than either. They asked about the singing 
and dancing of these countries, to which I replied that there 
was much feeling in the singing of the Italians, and that the 
dancing of the Italian peasants was the most pleasing of any 
I had seen. They became much interested, and as the house 
in which we were seated was small, gave orders to proceed to 
Isoaierana, the mansion I had previously visited with the 
prince, about two miles distant. On arriving at this place 
the officers again formed a circle round the door, until the 
prince and princess had entered and invited them to follow, 
after which they entered. We assembled in the spacious 
saloon or hall, with the band at one end. After conversing 
some time, the band struck up. Eight young men danced 
first. Four officers and the court ladies then danced 
what was called an English country-dance, and I was ap¬ 
pealed to as to its being veritably such, but was again obliged 
to express my ignorance on the subject. At the close of each 
dance the dancers came and made a low obeisance before the 
prince and princess, and then returned to their seats. 
The music continued, with occasional intervals of conver¬ 
sation, until five o’clock, when the prince and princess rose. 
The prince, who had treated the princess with the most 
marked attention throughout the day, now led her to her 
palanquin, and then entered his own. I was amused at the 
rush and bustle which the departure of the prince and prin¬ 
cess occasioned in collecting bearers, and bringing the palan¬ 
quins and horses to the front of the house where the owners 
were in waiting for them, as etiquette required that all the 
other palanquins should precede those of the prince and his 
consort. 
We took the road by which I had returned with the prince 
on the previous occasion. There are two encampments in 
B B 2 
