American dancing master, and ball-room prompter: containing about five hundred
dances ... By Elias Howe .. 1862

POLKA CONTRE.
longways duple, Sicilian, etc.
Polkas.

By Mr. Layland.

Stand in couples face to face down the room, and hold your partners as in the
Polka--all balance twice and cross, four bars--repeat to places, four
bars--ladies chain, eight bars--two couples at top Polka round each other,
eight bars--same two couples back step down the middle to bottom, eight
bars--then repeat until all have gone down the middle. This is a very merry and
sociable Polka dance.

APW sez:

(Polka hold, pointy bit pointing at other couple.  Makes 1s improper)

A1: 1-2: balance (could be heel-toe, heel-toe)
    3-4: and cross
    5-8: same to come back

A2: 1-8: ladies (open, more fun) chain over and back
 
B1: 1-8: Top two couples polka round each other

B2: 1-8: Top two couples galop down the middle to the bottom.

(But for Sicilian, everybody polkas round each other, then galop past each
other to another couple.)