The women of Kordofan are very merry; they may be heard singing, or laughing, all day long; and chaunt over their work, either singly, or in company. As soon as the labours of the day are ended, the girls and neighbours congregate together, and dancing commences, an amusement generally kept up till past midnight. They are, in fact, passionately addicted to this recreation. If they have even been employed during the whole day with the most onerous labour, sufficient to fatigue a strong man, all symptoms of weariness immediately disappear when the wood-fires are lighted before the huts in the evening, and the sound of the Dar’abook’keh[21] is heard. This is, in fact, the signal for old and young to leave their houses, and hasten to the scene of amusement, where the men, with their wives, lay themselves down in a circle, and become spectators, or, joining in the song, beat the time with their hands, while the girls now make their appearance, and singly begin the dance. This dance is very simple in its nature, requires, however, great muscular exertion, and would prove a very difficult task for some of our fair countrywomen. The black beauties commence their evolutions by moving slowly, but frequently, in a small space. Whilst beating time with their feet, they throw their heads back at measured intervals, and draw their shoulders up; so that they frequently even bend their bodies backwards until their heads touch the ground. This is done with so much muscular effort, that it is scarcely possible to believe a girl of slender build could possess sufficient power of muscle. The movements are, at first, all very slow, but gradually increase in rapidity, and become, at last, so frequent and quick, that you could almost imagine yourself looking at an automaton moving on springs and wires, and not on a human being. When a girl has nearly danced herself to death, she modestly retires to the background, and a second takes her place. If one of them particularly distinguish herself, and the company wish to pay her a very great compliment, she is desired to stand forth, and a sword is flourished several times over her head. During this ceremony, the music is silenced, but becomes the more noisy afterwards, and is intended as a kind of musical honour to the _danseuse_. This compliment is generally paid her by her admirer or by a stranger present. The natives are always delighted if a stranger will attend their dances, offer him the best place, and treat him with abundance of merissa. Married women, and those more advanced in age, scarcely ever dance; they are mere spectators, or pass the time in a different manner, more agreeably to themselves; they form, namely, _comme chez nous_, very polite _côteries_ for scandal, where the neighbour who happens to be brought on the _tapis_ is by no means spared, for they leave no hair of his head untouched. The married women, again, are those who pay the least