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and, probably, in a little dancing at night.

    On the second or third day, the principal exercises commence. The chief of the town in which the Festival is held, generally leads the dance. He advances, singing, into the square level yard in front of the house, and, as an auxiliar to his voice, shakes a small gourd with gravel enclosed in it; the music of which resembles the rattles in the throat of the dying. Presently he is joined by a considerable number of men; -- (women do not participate in this dance); -- some with guns and pistols charged with powder and wadding; others, with clubs, poles and branches of trees. Heading the column, he proceeds several times around the yard; then commenced crossing it backwards and forwards, repeatedly, until he has, in this manner, traversed it from one end to the other. The dancers, now grown numerous, and unclear curving in single file, exhibit the serpentine appearance of a still worm, and as their movements are perfectly regular and simultaneous, not unfrequently impress the idea of a vast water snake curling about on the smooth surface of a river or lake. -- Meanwhile, an irregular firing of guns & pistols is kept up; and the noise is tapered off with hallowing and shouting. 
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