312 cook's voyage to mat, 



desirous to gratify his curiosity, I ordered them all 

 ashore from both ships, in the morning of the 20th. 

 After they had performed various evolutions, and 

 fired several vollies, with which the numerous body 

 of spectators seemed well pleased, the chief enter- 

 tained us in his turn, with an exhibition, which, as 

 was acknowledged by us all, was performed with a 

 dexterity and exactness far surpassing the specimen 

 we had given of our military manoeuvres. It was 

 a kind of dance, so entirely different from any thing 

 I had ever seen, that I fear I can give no descrip- 

 tion that will convey any tolerable idea of it to 

 my readers. It was performed by men, and one 

 hundred and five persons bore their parts in it. 

 Each of them had in his hand an instrument 

 neatly made, shaped somewhat liked a paddle, of 

 two feet and a half in length, with a small handle 

 and a thin blade, so that they were very light. 

 With these instruments they made many and 

 various flourishes, each of which was accompanied 

 with a different attitude of the body, or a different 

 movement. At first, the performers ranged them- 

 selves in three lines ; and by various evolutions, 

 each man changed his station in such a manner, 

 that those who had been in the rear came into the 

 front. Nor did they remain long in the same 

 position, but these changes were made by pretty 

 quick transitions. At one time they extended 

 themselves in one line ; they then formed into a 

 semicircle ; and, lastly, into two square columns. 

 While this last movement was executing, one of 

 them advanced, and performed an antic dance 

 before me, with which the whole ended. 



The musical instruments consisted of two drums, 

 or rather two hollow logs of wood, from which some 

 varied notes were produced, by beating on them 

 with two sticks. It did not, however, appear to me, 

 that the dancers were much assisted or directed 

 by these sounds, but by a chorus of vocal music, m 



