Annotation:America (2)

A country dance witnessed by Samuel Johnson and James Boswell at Armadale in Skye in 1773 during their tour of Scotland and the Isles. Bowell records: "We had...in the evening a great dance. We made out five country squares without sitting down; and then we performed with much alacrity a dance which I suppose the emigration from Skye has occasioned. They call it 'America'. A brisk reel is played. The first couple begin, and each sets to one--then each to anther--then as they set to the next couple, the second and third couples are setting; and so it goes on till all are set a-going, setting and wheeling round each other, while each is making the tour of all in the dance. It shows how emigration catches till all are set afloat..."