1777- THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 119 



stools, or rather pillows, to sleep on. The reeds 

 have eight, nine, or ten pieces placed parallel to each 

 other, bat not in any regular progression ; having 

 the longest sometimes in the middle, and several of 

 the same length ; so that I have seen none with 

 more than six notes; and they seem incapable of 

 playing any music on them that is distinguishable by 

 our ears. The flutes are a joint of bamboo, close at 

 both ends, with a hole near each, and four others ; 

 two of which, and one of the first only, are used in 

 playing. They apply the thumb of the left hand to 

 close the left nostril, and blow into the hole at one 

 end with the other. The middle finger of the left 

 hand is applied to the first hole on the left, and the 

 fore-finger of the right to the lowest hole on that 

 side. In this manner, though the notes are only 

 three, they produce a pleasing, yet simple music, 

 which they vary much more than one w r ould think 

 possible with so imperfect an instrument. Their 

 being accustomed to a music which consists of so 

 few notes, is perhaps the reason w T hy they do not 

 seem to relish any of ours, w 7 hich is so complex. 

 But they can taste what is more deficient than their 

 own ; for we observed that they used to be well 

 pleased with hearing the chant of our two young 

 New Zealanders, which consisted rather in mere 

 strength than in melody of expression. 



The weapons which they make are clubs of dif- 

 ferent sorts (in the ornamenting of which they spend 

 much time), spears, and darts. They have also 

 bows and arrows ; but these seemed to be designed 

 only for amusement, such as shooting at birds, and 

 not for military purposes. The stools are about two 

 feet long, but only four or Hve inches high, and near 

 four broad, bending downward in the middle, with 

 four strong legs and circular feet ; the whole made 

 of one piece of black or brown w r ood, neatly polished, 

 and sometimes inlaid with bits of ivory. They also 

 inlay the handles of fly-flaps with ivory, after bein 

 vol. v. G G 



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