up from the belly rise the men , each with body painted and body festooned with feathers and body swathed in brilliant cloths , many hands holding candlesall unlitand each going towards a great bowl , dipping a cup and drinkingthen walking about as if in some clearly rehearsed and precisely choreographed communal movementfrantz observes them as he has schools of fish and the rare billowing octopuswithout thought , he joins them : having his nose slashed with a yellow mark and a fellow placing the rare and feared panther-skin hat upon his head , another handing him a necklace of beads and savage teethwithin what became the rhythmic beat of a tight drum and the shrill of a high-pitched reed pipe , so they all moved about the boat in circular and weaving dance , each alone , everyone together : it was magnetic ... it was hypnotic ... it was alluring .