the beam which you see resting on the ground, and which was then, of
course, high in the air, drew him up until the beam lay horizontally.
Then, after making him perform one circular motion around the car, they
elevated him, as you see in the picture. When thus elevated, it was
thought that he was forty feet from the ground. All being ready, the
people seized the ropes which you see in front of the car, and began to
draw it. Mr. Chandler and myself accompanied it through the streets,
until it came to the place from which it set out. The distance of ground
passed over was at least half a mile, and the time in which the journey
was accomplished exceeded an hour. Of course he was swinging more than
an hour. As the car passed through the streets, the people threw
plantains from the tops of the houses to the crowds below.

The man who was swung was adorned with flowers and other ornaments. He
had a tinselled turban on his head. His body was rubbed over with a
yellow paste, made, most probably, from the sandal-wood. Around his
ankles were rings, hung with little bells, which he made to tinkle, as
he was swinging, by striking his legs together. He wore a dark or black
pair of pantaloons, which came a little below the knees, and which had
a border of gold around them. He held a handkerchief in one hand, and a
knife somewhat resembling a dagger, in the other. These he kept in
constant motion, by moving his arms. On one occasion, a bunch of
plantains was tied to one of the long ropes which you see hanging down
by the side of the swinger. These he drew up, and afterwards scattered
over the people on a house opposite to him. [Illustration.]

After following the car for a quarter of a mile or more, we went before
it, and there witnessed another appalling sight. There were five or six
men, who had the rods of iron which I just mentioned passed through the
skin of their sides. They were dancing along, and, as they danced, they