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bursts of laughter, hallooing and yelling. Repetitions of this dance, conducted by different leaders,-- drinking whiskey,-- sensuality, quarrelling and fighting, consume the night.
Woman's Dance.
This is of more rare occurrence than the preceding, and is brought about in the same manner. When the hour of dancing arrives, an old man, (generally the oldest in the clan, or town,) commences singing a dirge-like air, and beating time on a skin stretched over the end of a keg. Like all Cherokee airs, it does not possess much variety; some parts, however, are a little touching, and add somewhat to the gloomy feelings produced by surrounding objects, on the mind of one accustomed to civilized society. Before the old man has spent much time in tuning his pipes, two or three women come forward, with terrapin shells on their legs, and keep time by stamping,-- moving around the fire with peculiar facility, and apparent ease: in a short time most of the women present, join in the dance. This ceremony is