A Dancer In Kurdistan

The performers had already draw theruselves up in liue when I arrived, and a minute later the shrill uotes of the pipe gave the sigua] for the dancing co commence. Soine score of young men and women stood shouJder to shoulder, clasping hauds, the Hne forming crescent. At tho given signal, the clap piug of his handu by a youth who stooc in front of thfi semicircle of performers, the dance comruenced, the entiie liue of men and women stepping slowly forvvard and then back again, each pace being taken a linie to the right, so that a rotating rnovement was given to the string of dancera. As the music qviickeued so did the pace, and at each step the body from the waist upward was bentforwardand drawn back. Nor were the steps tbomsel?es the same, for the youth who gave them time ran up and down the hno clapping his hands and singiug and shouting directions and changos. The principal feature cf the danc9 seemed to r,e the bringing down of the right foot smartly upon the ground at intervals, whtJ, hand in hand, tho whole conipnny reiuained with their bodies beut tor a second or two, to spring back into position again at a fresh blow of the pipes. Meanwhile the slow rotating movement was maintained, so that the en tire body was circling round tbs musicians. What langhter and ftm there were ! Men and girls giving themeelves up to the enjoyinent of their national dance, which, graceful and eshilarating, bore no trace of the sensual movements which usually mark the art