The tight-rope is stretched between two pairs of bamboos, each pair
being fixed obliquely in the ground and crossing each other at the top
so as to form a socket over which the rope passes. The ends of the rope
are taken over the crossed bamboos and firmly secured to the ground by
heavy pegs. The performer takes another balancing-pole in his hands
and walks along the rope between the poles which are about 12 feet
high. Another man beats a drum, and a third stands under the rope
singing the performer's praises and giving him encouragement. After
this the performer ties two sets of cow or buffalo horns to his
feet, which are secured to the back of the skulls so that the flat
front between the horns rests on the rope, and with these he walks
over the rope, holding the balancing-rod in his hands and descends
again. Finally he takes a brass plate and a cloth and again ascends
the rope. He places the plate on the rope and folds the cloth over
it to make a pad. He then stands on his head on the pad with his feet
in the air and holds the balancing-rod in his hands; two strings are
tied to the end of this rod and the other ends of the strings are
held by the man underneath. With the assistance of the balancing-rod
the performer then jerks the plate along the rope with his head,
his feet being in the air, until he arrives at the end and finally
descends again. This usually concludes the performance, which demands
a high degree of skill. Women occasionally, though rarely, do the
same feats. Another class of Nats walk on high stilts and the women
show their confidence by dancing and singing under them. A saying
about the Nats is: _Nat ka bachcha to kalabazi hi karega_; or 'The
rope-dancer's son is always turning somersaults.' [347]