Page:Route Across the Rocky Mountains with a Description of Oregon and California.djvu/102



to titter, and could bear it no longer.” Here he made a desperate effort, gained the middle of the floor, and then went patting away, to the further end of the room; imitating their mode of dancing, as well as he could; then turning, he came down on a real, regular, backwoods hoe-down shuffle; wheeled into the middle of the floor, cut the pigeon wing, and brought up before a pretty brunette, who seemed about to go into a fit of hysterics, from excessive laughter, at the novel performance; clapped his hands four or five times in her face, and then went whirling away to his seat. “Go it countryman—huzzah countryman,” cried we, joining in the general uproar. The Spaniards appeared to be much interested, and were quite pleased with this new way of dancing, and during the evening, we saw numbers of both sexes, trying to imitate the step. At length, becoming tired of this single handed game, they changed it, into a series of waltzes, cotilions, &c.; which were performed with such noise and uproar, that we verily believe they might have been heard half a mile. It appeared that skill was estimated, by them, in proportion to the amount of sound produced; which was created in two ways: first, by the heavy dancing, and secondly, by yelling at the top of the voice, parts of the tune, which were designed to chime in with the instruments; but which, however, so far from being the case, when half a dozen of those stentorian voices, at once broke forth, it produced such a variety of horrible discords, as could be compared to nothing, but the simultaneous roar, of a caravan of African and Asiatic animals. At length came the refreshments, which consisted of cakes, dates, dried figs, and wines, and were handed around by the married ladies. About thirty minutes having been spent, in thus reviving the physical strength, the dance again commenced, and was continued, with great spirit and exertion, until a late hour of the night; when the weary, and drowsy guests retired; and there was an end to the boisterous fandango. This was a collection of about the fairest samples, which the country could afford; and how far inferior were they, even to the unlearned and poorer classes, in our own country! Selfishness, it is true, is sure to make us have a good opinion of ourselves; and with ourselves, to make us appear favorable in comparison with others. A knowledge of this, should generally dictate to us, the propriety of not hazarding an expression, concerning our own goodness or greatness, in such a comparison: but there are instances, and this is one of them, in which there is no possibility of being mistaken. These very people, though they were not aware of it, in all their intercourse