Page 340
An.1686
Solemnities at Circumcisions.
motion, he flies to the middle of the Ring, where he seems to have his Enemy at his mercy; and with 2 or 3 blows cuts on the ground as if he was cutt ng off his Enemy's Head. By this time he is all of a sweat, and withdraws triumphantly out of the Ring, and presently another enters with the like shrieks and gestures. Thus they continue com- bating their imaginary Enemy all the rest of the day; towards the conclusion of which the richest men act, and at last the General, and then the Sultan concludes this Ceremony: He and the Ge- neral with some other great Men, are in Armour, but the rest have none. After this the Sultan re- turns home, accompanied with abundance of peo- ple, who wait on him there till they are dismist. But at the time when we were there, there was an after-game to be played; for the General's Son being then Circumcised, the Sultan intended to give him a second visit in the night; so they all waited to attend him thither. The General also pro- vided to meet him in the best manner, and there- fore desired Captain Swan with his men to attend him. Accordingly Captain Swan ordered us to get our Guns, and wait at the Generals house till fur- ther orders. So about 40 of us waited till 8 a clock in the evening: When the General with Captain Swan, and about 1000 men, went to meet the Sultan; with abundance of Torches that made it as light day. The manner of the march was thus: First of all there was a Pageant, and upon it two dancing Women gorgeously apparelled, with Co- ronets on their Heads, full of glistering Spangles, and Pendants of the same, hanging down over their Breast and Shoulders. These are Women bred up purposely for dancing: Their Feet and Legs are but little imployed, except sometimes to turn round very gently; but their Hands, Arms, Head, and Body are in continual motion, especi- ally