The women squat together by the fire, making a
deafening noise with the gongs and the drums, while the young
girls, richly adorned with pearls and fragrant flowers, await the
beginning of the dance. Then appear the men and youths without
weapons, but in full war-costume, the girdle freshly marked with
the number of slain enemies. [Among the Alfuras it is the man who
has the largest number of heads to show who has most chance of
winning the object of his love.] They hold each other's arms and
form a circle, which is not, however, completely closed. A song
is started, and with small, slow steps this ring of bodies, like
a winding snake, moves sideways, backward, closes, opens again,
the steps become heavier, the songs and drums louder, the girls
enter the circle and with closed eyes grasp the girdle of their
chosen youths, who clasp them by the hips and necks, the chain
becomes longer and longer, the dance and song more ardent, until
the dancers grow tired and disappear in the gloom of the forest."
(W. Joest, _Welt-Fahrten_, 1895, Bd. ii, p.
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