1769. ROUND THE WORLD. 259 



of the houses, they were, by order of the master, en* 

 tertained with a dance different from any that they 

 had seen. It was performed by one man, who put 

 upon his head a large cylindrical piece of wicker- 

 work, or basket, about four feet long and eight inches 

 in diameter, which was faced with feathers, placed 

 perpendicularly, with the tops bending forwards, and 

 edged round with shark's teeth, and the tail feathers 

 of tropic birds : when he had put on this head-dress, 

 which is called a WhoWy he began to dance, moving 

 slowly, and often turning his head so as that the top 

 of his high wicker-cap described a circle, and some- 

 times throwing it so near the faces of the spectators 

 as to make them start back : this was held among 

 them as a very good joke, and never failed to produce 

 a peal of laughter, especially when it was played off 

 upon one of the strangers. 



On the 3d, we went along the shore to the north- 

 ward, which was in a direction opposite to that of 

 the route Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander had taken the 

 day before, with a design to purchase stock, which 

 we always found the people more ready to part with, 

 and at a more easy price, at their houses than at the 

 market. In the course of our walk, we met with a 

 company of dancers, who detained us two hours, 

 and during all that time afforded us great entertain- 

 ment. The company consisted of two women dancers, 

 and six men, with three drums ; we were informed 

 by Tupia, that they were some of the most consider- 

 able people of the island, and that, though they were 

 continually going from place to place, they did not, 

 like thelittle strolling companies of Otaheite, take any 

 gratuity from the spectators. The women had upon 

 their heads a considerable quantity of Tamou, or 

 platted hair, which was brought several times round 

 the head, and adorned in many parts with the flowers 

 of the cape-jessamine, which were stuck in with 

 much taste, and made a head-dress truly elegant. 

 Their necks, shoulders, and arms, were naked 5 so 



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