"in England. But what struck us with most "surprise was, to see a couple of lusty wenches "step forth and begin boxing without the least "ceremony, and with as much art as the men. "This contest, however, did not last above "half a minute, before one of them gave it up. "The conquering heroine received the same "applause from the spectators which they be"stowed upon the successful combatants of "the other sex. We expressed some dislike "at this part of the entertainment, which, however, did not prevent two other females from

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entering the lists. They seemed to be girls "of spirit, and would certainly have given each "other a good drubbing, if two old women "had not interposed to part them*. All these "combats were exhibited in the midst of, at "least, three thousand people, and were con"ducted with the greatest good humour on "all sides; though some of the champions, "women as well as men, received blows which "doubtless they must have felt for some time "after.

"As soon as these diversions were ended, "the chiefs told me that the heaps of provi"sions on our right hand were a present to "Omai, and that those on our left hand, being * The women are always soon parted.

"about two thirds of the whole quantity, were

given to me. He added, that I might take "them on board whenever it was convenient, "but that there would be no occasion to set

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any of our people as guards over them, as I "might be assured that not a single cocoa-nut "would be taken away by the natives. So it proved, for I left every thing behind and re"turned to the ship to dinner, carrying the "chief with me, and when the provisions were " removed on board in the afternoon, not a single article was missing. There was as much "as loaded four boats, and I could not but be "struck with the munificence of Feenow, for "this present far exceeded any I had ever re"ceived from any of the sovereigns of the va"rious islands I had visited in the Pacific "Ocean. I lost no time in convincing my "friend that I was not insensible of his libera

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lity; for before he quitted my ship I be"stowed upon him such of our commodities "as I guessed were most valuable in his esti"mation. And the return I made was so "much to his satisfaction, that as soon as he got on shore, he left me still indebted to him,

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by sending me a fresh present, consisting of "two large hogs, a considerable quantity of "cloth, and some yams."

Here follows an imperfect account of the dance called me'ë too bu'ggi, but which we shall now omit, and quote a fuller description of it afterwards. Other circumstances not necessary here to enumerate are also omitted. After describing an exhibition of fire-works, the account goes on thus:

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ઃઃ

“Our water and sky rockets, in particular,

pleased and astonished them beyond all conception; and the scale was now turned in "our favour. This, however, seemed only to "furnish them with an additional motive to "proceed to fresh exertions of their very sin"gular dexterity, and our fire-works were no "sooner ended than a succession of dances "which Feenow got ready for our entertain"ment began. As a prelude to them, a band "of music, or chorus of eighteen men, seated "themselves before us, in the centre of the "circle composed by the numerous spectators, "the area of which was to be the scene of the "exhibitions. Four or five of this band had pieces of large bamboo, from three to five or who "six feet long, each managed by one man, "held it nearly in a vertical position, the upper "end open, but the other end closed by one "of the joints. With this close end the per"formers kept constantly striking the ground, though slowly, thus producing different notes

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according to the different lengths of the in"struments, but all of them of the hollow or ، base sort ; to counteract which a person kept "striking quickly, and with two sticks, a piece "of the same substance, split and laid along “ the ground, and by that means furnishing "a tone as acute as those produced by the ،، others were grave. The rest of the band, as "well as those who performed upon the bam"boos, sung a slow and soft air, which so "much tempered the harsher notes of the "above instruments, that no by-stander, how"ever accustomed to hear the most perfect "and varied modulations of sweet sounds, “could avoid confessing the vast power and pleasing effect of this harmony.

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،، The concert having continued about a quar"ter of an hour, twenty women entered the ، circle. Most of them had upon their heads "garlands of the crimson flowers of the China

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،،

rose, or others; and many of them had or"namented their persons with leaves of trees, "cut with a deal of nicety about the edges. They made a circle round the chorus, turning their faces toward it, and began by singing a soft air, to which responses were made by the chorus in the same tone, and these "were repeated alternately. All this while the ' women accompanied their song with several

very graceful motions of their hands towards "their faces, and in other directions, at the "same time making constantly a step forward, "and then back again with one foot, while the "other was fixed. They then turned their faces "to the assembly, sung some time, and re"treated slowly in a body to that part of the cir"cle which was opposite the hut where the principal spectators sat. After this, one of them "advanced from each side, meeting and passing each other in the front, and continuing their progress round till they came to the rest: on "which two advanced from each side, two of

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whom passed each other and returned as the "former; but the other two remained, and to "these came one from each side by intervals, "till the whole number had again formed a "circle about the chorus.

"Their manner of dancing was now changed "to a quicker measure, in which they made a "kind of half turn by leaping, and clapped "their hands, and snapped their fingers, re

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peating some words in conjunction with the "chorus. Toward the end, as the quickness "of the music increased, their gestures and "attitudes were varied with wonderful vigour "and dexterity; and some of their motions, 'perhaps, would with us be reckoned rather

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