The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-04-17
A Javanese Dance.

10 the private palace, IN F1lch MS 1an1IiF
reside. Apologizing for his wife's alb
sence by reason of indisposition, he
placed us in the centre of a spacious and
lofty hall, softly lighted with tinted
globe lamps, and graced with curious
medley of portraits of European cele-
brities-among them the Prince of
Wales, the Queen of the Netherlands,
Jenny Lind, and Lola Montez. We
were the only gussts. A band of twenty
five native musicians was stationed on
the porch. Hundreds of the peasantry
Bandong crowded the guard in front
The musicians played, in a low tone, a
recitative accompaniment. Soon after
this began, four " bayaderes, one after
the other, glided into the room, with
movement In harmony with the music
They were apparently eighteen years of
age, and had that Sc golden" complexion
which in the East is the highest type
of beauty. The regent explained that
| the g bayadere" amusement was derived
from the ancient Hindoos. The cos
tune of the performers has the same
origin. 1t consists of a long, scant
scarlet skirt, fastened above the waist,
and falling in folds quite over the bare
feet. A stifened band of scarlet and
gold, ten inches wide, is drawn tightly
about the waist, fitting Just under the
shOulder-blades, leaving the arms and
shoulder-blades, leaving the arms and
shoulders entirely bare. The nlontllre
was a FURNISHED helmet. Wondering at
this barbaric magnifcence, Mr.. Seward
asked the regent whether the helmet
was gilded. He quickly answered in
Javanese, that not only the helmet, but
also the heavy girdle, the bracelets, and
ankets, were of solid gold, and added,
in English, California. Three ballets
were performed it was not difficult to
understand thespirit of each. The first,
gay and joyous, represented a nuptial
| ceremony; the second, energetic and
vigorous a battle with ambuscade, sur
prise, struggle, and victory; the third,
deep-toned and measured, a funeral
pageant. The dancing consisted of slow
and varied posturing and extravagant
gesticulation, to the broken and imper-
feet time of the wild music. The baya-
deres' were not the only performers of
the evening. There were two dwarfs,
the eldest thirty years old, well pro-
portioned and agile, and a counterpart
of Tom Thumb. In the other, the
peculiar Malay figure and features were
exaggerated to absolute deformity. The
regent took especial delight in this Iltstss
nG{,sros, and laughed immoderately at
the little creatures big head and handy
/ legs. We, who at home are more panied
than pleased by the exhibitions of Gen
eral Top Thumb ard his LiIiputian
wife, could not symathize here with the
barbarian prince. It was with difficulty
that we suppressed or disgust when the
pitiable dwarfs were put forward as
harlequins in the historical pantomimes
which the "bayaders'' were executing.
Dwarfs here remain the same impor-
tant personages they were in European
courts three hundred years ago. We
ought to have mentioned that the Radhe
Adepathe maintains seven of them.
The performance of the night had a
very pleasing interlude. While the
artistes were resting in the intervals,
the guard at the door opened the way
to chorus of peasants. They executed
a grotesque dance, which gave unbound
ed delight, not only to ourselves, but to
the unbidden native spectators outside.
In the midst of this diversion, two chill
dren of the regent, girls of four and five,
and very small, came in with their at
tendants, dressed IN queenly satan robes
and jewels. He presented them TO us
with manifest pride, and, although they
trenbled during the ceremony, they
performed their little parts with all the
formality Of women.-Sel0ard's Travels.
CUR1oUs FAcrs.-Toads are not the
only animals which have the power Of
living for a considerable. time without
nourishment and communication with
the external air. Two living worms
, we're found in Spain in the middle of q
block of marble which sculptor was
carving into lion for the royal family.
These WORMS occupied two small cavi
ties to which there was no inlet that
could possibly admit the air. They
subsisted probably on the marble, a
they were of the same color. This
fact was verified by Captain Uilo, IA
nous Spaniard, who accompanied the
French Academicians IA their voyage
to Peru for the purpose Of aseertaining
the figure OF the earth. He asserts
that he saw these two worms. A beetle
Of the species called Capricorn wa
, found in q piece Of wood in the hold o.
! a ship at Plymouth. The wood had nj
. external mark Of any aperture. w
/. read in the ABfches de PrO0ince, June
I772, that an adder was found alive il
> the center Of a block Of marble, thirt,
! Eeat in diameter It vas folded nini
! times around in a spiral line; il was in
capable Of supporting sir, and died
few minutes after. Upon examining
the stone. not the smallest trace was &
!, be found by which il could have glides
4 in or received aiE. Mission, IN his tray
a els through Italy. mentions q cray-fisl
e that was found alive in the midst OF
n mass Of marble in the euvirons Of Tive
Il II. Peyssonel, kings physician =
: Guadeloupe, having ordered D PIT 70 3
dug at the back Of his hoase, was toll
le by the workmen that live frogs weg
n found by them in beds Of petrihcatioE
Il Mr.. Peyssonei, suspecting some deceii
= descended into the pat, dug the bed {
y rock and petrileations, aud drew OF
~ green frogs, which we're alive, and e
] actly similar to what We see daily.