1777- THE pacific OCEAN. 315 



time, and retreated slowly in a body, to that part of 

 the circle which was opposite the hut where the prin- 

 cipal 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 whom also 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 ringers, repeating 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 indecent. Though this part of 

 the performance, most probably, was not meant to 

 convey any wanton ideas, but merely to display the 

 astonishing variety of their movements. 



To this grand female ballet, succeeded one per- 

 formed by fifteen men. Some of them were old ; but 

 their age seemed to have abated little of their agility 

 or ardour for the dance. They were disposed in a 

 sort of circle, divided at the front, with their faces 

 not turned out toward the assembly, nor inward to 

 the chorus ; but one half of their circle faced forward 

 as they had advanced, and the other half in a con- 

 trary direction. They sometimes sung slowly, in 

 concert with the chorus; and, while thus employed, 

 they also made several very fine motions with their 

 hands, but different from those made by the women, 

 at the same time inclining the body to either side 

 alternately, by raising one leg, which was stretched 

 outward, and resting on the other; the arm of the 

 same side being also stretched fully upward. At 

 other times, they recited sentences in a musical tone, 



