yes upon them, and can handle with a surprising
dexterity.

Their singing is not the most charming that I have heard; it consists
much in exalting the voice, and is full of slow melancholy accents.
However, I must allow even this music to contain some wild notes that
are agreeable.

Their dancing is performed either by few or a great company, but without
much regard either to time or figure. The first of these is by one or
two persons, or at most by three. In the meanwhile, the company sit
about them in a ring upon the ground, singing outrageously and shaking
their rattles. The dancers sometimes sing, and sometimes look menacing
and terrible, beating their feet furiously against the ground, and
shewing ten thousand grimaces and distortions. The other is performed by
a great number of people, the dancers themselves forming a ring, and
moving round a circle of carved posts, that are set up for that purpose;
or else round a fire, made in a convenient part of the town; and then
each has his rattle in his hand, or what other thing he fancies most, as
his bow and arrows, or his tomahawk. They also dress themselves up with
branches of trees, or some other strange accoutrements. Thus they
proceed, dancing and singing, with all the antic postures they can
invent; and he's the bravest fellow that has the most prodigious
gestures. Sometimes they place three young women in the middle of the
circle, as you may see in the figure.

[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._
Tab. 13 Book 3 Pag. 176]

TAB. 13. Represents a solemn festival dance of the Indians round their
carved posts.

Those which on each side are hopping upon their hams, take that way of
coming up to the ring, and when they find an opportunity strike in among
the rest.

Captain Smith relates the particulars of a dance made for his
entertainment, by Pocahontas, daughter of the emperor Powhatan, to
divert him till her father came, who happened not to be at home when
Smith arrived at his town. Gen. Hist., p. 194.

"In a fair plain field they made a fire, before which he sat down
upon a mat, when suddenly amongst the woods was heard such a
hideous noise and shrieking, that the English betook themselves to
their arms, and seized on two or three old men by them, supposing
Powhatan with all his power was coming to surprise them. But
presently Pocahontas came, willing him to kill her, if any hurt
were intended; and the behold