th the killing of about two
hundred young female pigs which had been kept in readiness in little
bamboo sheds.

Accompanied by the drums, Palo led all the high-castes in dancing
steps out of the gamal and round the square. After a few turns the
chiefs drew up in line in front of him, and he mounted a stone table,
while everyone else kept on dancing. His favourite wife was next
to the table, also dancing. Palo was entirely covered with ferns,
which were stuck in his hair, his bracelets and his belt. He still
looked quite venerable, but with a suggestion of a faun, a Bacchus or
a Neptune. It was a warm day, and the dancing made everybody perspire
more than freely.

Now one of the other men took hold of a little pig by the hind-legs and
threw it in a lofty curve to one of the dancing chiefs, who caught the
little animal, half stunned by the fall, and, still dancing, carried
it to Palo, who killed it by three blows on the head, whereupon it
was laid at his feet. This went on for a long time. It was a cruel
sight. Squealing and shrieking, the poor animals flew through the
air, fell heavily on the hard earth, and lay stunned or tried to
crawl away with broken backs or legs. Some were unhurt, and ran off,
but a bloodthirsty crowd was after them with clubs and axes, and soon
brought them back. Still, one man thought this troublesome, and broke
the hind-legs of each pig before throwing it to the chief, so that
it might not escape. It was horrible to see and hear the bones break,
but the lust for blood was upon the crowd, and on all sides there were
passionate eyes, distorted faces and wild yells. Happily the work was
soon done, and in front of Palo lay a heap of half-dead, quivering
animals. He and his wife now turned their backs to the assembly, while
a few high-castes counted the corpses. For each ten one lobe was torn
off a sicca-leaf, then the missing lobes were counted, and after a
puzzling calculation, the result was announced. Palo turned round
and descended from his pedestal with much dignity, though panting
from his exertions, and looking so hot that I feared an apoplexy
for the old man. I did not know how tough such an old heathen is,
nor that his efforts were by no means at an end. Noblesse oblige and
such high caste as Palo's is not attained without trouble.

As female pigs may not be eaten, those just killed were thrown into
the sea by the women; meanwhile, the chiefs blew a loud blast on the
shell-bugles, to an