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"last rank regained its first situation. They "then began a much quicker dance (though "slow at first), and sung for about ten minutes, "when the whole body divided into two parts, "retreated a little, and then approached, forming a sort of circular figure, which finished "the dance; the drums being removed, and "the chorus, going off the field at the same "time.

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"The second dance had only two drums, "with forty men for a chorus; and the dancers, "or rather actors, consisted of two ranks, the "foremost having seventeen, and the other "fifteen persons. Feenow was at their head, "or in the middle of the front rank, which is "the principal place in these cases. They

danced and recited sentences, with some very "short intervals, for about half an hour, some"times quickly, sometimes more slowly, but "with such a degree of exactness as if all the "motions were made by one man, which did "them great credit. Near the close, the back "rank divided, came round, and took the place "of the front, which again resumed its situa

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tion, as in the first dance; and when they finished, the drums and chorus, as before, "went off.

"Three drums (which at least took two, and

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"other half to the c "selves before the spe "successively entered "us with single comba "ing up and stepping

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challenged those of "pressive gestures m "send one of their b "the challenge was a "nerally the case, th "themselves in proper

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gan the engagemen "one or other owned h "their weapons were b "combat was over, the "down facing the chie "tired. At the same "seemed to sit as judg "a few words; and t "those on the side 1

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longed, celebrated "acquired, in two or

"This entertainme "pended for a few mi "tervals there were b "matches. The firs

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same manner as at

"differed very little

"oblong paddle: with these, which are called "pagge, they make a great many different "fions, such as pointing them toward the "ground on one side, at the same time indi ing their bodies that way, from which they "were shifted to the opposite side, in the same "manner; then passing them quickly from one "band to the other, and twirling dem about "very dextrously; with a variety of other manoeuvres, all which were accompanied by corresponding attitudes of the body. Their "motions were at first slow, but quickened s "the drums beat faster; and they recited "tences in a musical tone the whole time, which "were answered by the chorus; but at the end "of a short space they all joined, and fis

"After ceasing about two or three minutes
"they began as before, and continued with
"short intervals above a quarter of an hoe

"when the rear rank dividing, shifted ther
"selves very slowly round each end, and
"ing in the front, formed the first rank: the

"whole number continuing recte the sen
"tences as before. The other ranks did the

"same successively, till that which at first
"was the front became the rear; and the
"lution continued in the same manner till the

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hed its first situation. They uch quicker dance (though 1 sung for about ten minutes, body divided into two parts, and then approached, formcular figure, which finished drums being removed, and goff the field at the same

"applause from the petities with the
stowed upon the cell state of
"the other sex. We expresed me all

at this part of the entertainment

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"entering the lists. They semed to be girl of spirit, and would certa are given ea "other a good drating

ance had only two drums, r a chorus; and the dancers, consisted of two ranks, the seventeen, and the other Feenow was at their head, f the front rank, which is ce in these cases. They 1 sentences, with some very about half an hour, somenetimes more slowly, but e of exactness as if all the le by one man, which did

had not interposed to put these

combats were exhibited in the sitt af

"least, three thousand pole, and vee on
ducted with the greatest god b
"all sides; though some of the dam

women as well as men, received blew
doubtless they must have it for some fi

sions on our right bad were a present

Omai, and that those on or left bad g

The women are dry emp

Near the close, the back e round, and took the place h again resumed its situast dance; and when they ns and chorus, as before,

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hich at least took two, and,

"sometimes three men to carry them), were "now brought in; and seventy men sat down, "as a chorus to the third dance. This con"sisted of two ranks, of sixteen persons each, "with young Toobou at their head, who was richly ornamented with a sort of garment "covered with red feathers. These danced,

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sung, and twirled the paggi as before; but "in general much quicker, and performed so "well, that they had the constant applauses of "the spectators. A motion that met with par"ticular approbation was one in which they "held the face aside as if ashamed, and the paggi before it. The back rank closed be"fore the front one, and that again resumed "its place, as in the two former dances; but "then they began again, formed a triple row,

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divided, retreated to each end of the area, “and left the greatest part of the ground clear. "At this instant two men entered very hastily, "and exercised the clubs which they use in "battle. They did this by first twirling them "in their hands, and making circular strokes "before them with great force and quickness; "but so skilfully managed, that, though stand

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ing quite close, they never interfered. They "shifted their clubs from hand to hand with

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great dexterity; and, after continuing a little

"time, kneeled, and made different motions, "tossing the clubs up in the air, which they

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caught as they fell; and then went off as

hastily as they entered. Their heads were "covered with pieces of white cloth, tied at "the crown (almost like a night-cap) with a "wreath of foliage round the forehead; but

they had only very small pieces of white "cloth tied about the waists; probably that

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they might be cool, and free from every in"cumbrance or weight*. A person with a "spear, dressed like the former, then came in, "and in the same hasty manner; looking "about eagerly, as if in search of somebody to "throw it at. He then ran hastily to one side "of the crowd in the front, and put himself in "a threatening attitude, as if he meant to strike "with his spear at one of them, bending the "knee a little, and trembling, as it were, with

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rage. He continued in this manner only a "few seconds, when he moved to the other

• This exhibition with the clubs, as well as the following one with a spear, are practices of Hamoa (the Navigator's Islands), at which the natives of that place are said to be very expert: they are occasionally adopted at Tonga by way of interludes, but they do not form an essential part of the above performance: the particular dress which these performers had on, was the war dress of the Hamoa Islands. VOL. II.

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