63. CHAPTER LXIII.
There were some ill-natured people—tell-tales—it seemed,
in Tamai; and hence there was a deal of mystery about getting
up the dance.
An hour or two before midnight, Rartoo entered the house,
and, throwing robes of tappa over us, bade us follow at a
distance behind him; and, until out of the village, hood our
faces. Keenly alive to the adventure, we obeyed. At last,
after taking a wide circuit, we came out upon the farthest
shore of the lake. It was a wide,dewy space; lighted up by a full
moon, and carpeted with a minute species of fern, growing
closely together. It swept right down to the water, showing
the village opposite, glistening among the groves.
Near the trees, on one side of the clear space, was a ruinous
pile of stones, many rods in extent; upon which had formerly
stood a temple of Oro. At present, there was nothing but a rude
hut, planted on the lowermost terrace. It seemed to have been
used as a “tappa herree;” or house for making the native cloth.
Here, we saw lights gleaming from between the bamboos,
and casting long, rod-like shadows upon the ground without.
Voices also were heard. We went up, and had a peep at the
dancers; who were getting ready for the ballet. They were
some twenty in number; waited upon by hideous old crones,
who might have been duennas. Long Ghost proposed to send
the latter packing; but Rartoo said it would never do, and so
they were permitted to remain.
We tried to effect an entrance at the door, which was
fastened; but, after a noisy discussion with one of the old
witches within, our guide became fidgety, and, at last, told us to
desist, or we would spoil all. He then led us off to a distance,
to await the performance; as the girls, he said, did not wish
to be recognized. He, furthermore, made us promise to remain
where we were, until all was over, and the dancers had
retired.
We waited impatiently; and, at last, they came forth. They
were arrayed in short tunics of white tappa; with garlands of
flowers on their heads. Following them, were the duennas,
who remained clustering about the house, while the girls advanced
a few paces; and, in an instant, two of them, taller
than their companions, were standing, side by side, in the
middle of a ring, formed by the clasped hands of the rest.
This movement was made in perfect silence.
Presently, the two girls join hands overhead; and, crying
out, “Ahloo! ahloo!” wave them to and fro. Upon which,
the ring begins to circle slowly; the dancers moving sideways,
with their arms a little drooping. Soon they quicken their
pace; and, at last, fly round and round: bosoms heaving, hair
streaming, flowers dropping, and every sparkling eye circling
in what seemed a line of light.
Meanwhile, the pair within are passing and repassing each
other incessantly. Inclining sideways, so that their long hair
falls far over, they glide this way and that; one foot continually
in the air, and their fingers thrown forth, and twirling in
the moonbeams.
“Ahloo! ahloo!” again cry the dance queens; and, coming
together in the middle of the ring, they once more lift up the
arch, and stand motionless.
“Ahloo! ahloo!” Every link of the circle is broken; and
the girls, deeply breathing, stand perfectly still. They pant
hard and fast, a moment or two; and then,just as the deep flush
is dying away from their faces, slowly recede, all round; thus
enlarging the ring.
Again the two leaders wave their hands, when the rest
pause; and now, far apart, stand in the still moonlight, like a
circle of fairies. Presently, raising a strange chant, they softly
sway themselves, gradually quickening the movement, until, at
length, for a few passionate moments, with throbbing bosoms
and glowing cheeks, they abandon themselves to all the spirit
of the dance, apparently lost to every thing around. But soon
subsiding again into the same languid measure, as before, they
become motionless; and then, reeling forward on all sides,
their eyes swimming in their heads, join in one wild chorus,
and sink into each other's arms.
Such is the Lory-Lory, I think they call it; the dance of the
backsliding girls of Tamai.
While it was going on, we had as much as we could do, to
keep the doctor from rushing forward and seizing a partner.
They would give us no more “hevars” that night; and
Rartoo fairly dragged us away to a canoe, hauled up on the
lake shore; when we reluctantly embarked, and, paddling over
to the village, arrived there in time for a good nap before
sunrise.
The next day, the doctor went about, trying to hunt up the
overnight dancers. He thought to detect them by their late
rising; but never was man more mistaken; for, on first sallying
out, the whole village was asleep, waking up in concert about
an hour after. But, in the course of the day, he came across
several, whom he at once charged with taking part in the
“hevar.” There were some prim-looking fellows standing by
(visiting elders from Afrehitoo, perhaps), and the girls looked
embarrassed; but parried the charge most skillfully.
Though soft as doves, in general, the ladies of Tamai are,
nevertheless, flavored with a slight tincture of what we queerly
enough call the “
devil;” and they showed it on the present
occasion. For when the doctor pressed one rather hard, she
all at once turned round upon him, and, giving him a box on
the ear, told him to “hanree perrar!” (be off with himself.)
