THE PACIFIC OCEAN. . 311 



againft the tliigh. However, the miific was foinetimes va- ^yjf- 



ried, from its predominant folemnity of air; and there were ' ^-^ 



inftanccs of ftanzas being fung in a more gay and lively 

 flrain, and even with a degree of humour. 



The only inftruments of mufic (if fuch they may be called) 

 which I faw amongft them, were a rattle ; and a fmall whiftle, 

 about an inch long, incapable oF any variation, from hav- 

 ing but one hole. They ufc the rattle when they fing ; but 

 upon what occafions they ufe the whiftic I know not, unlefs 

 it be wlicn they drefs themlelves like particular animals, 

 and endeavour to imitate their howl or cry. I once faw 

 one of them drelTcd in a wolf's fkin, with the head over his 

 own, and imitating that animal by n.aking a fqueaking 

 noife with one of thefe whiftles, which he had in his mouth. 

 The rattles are, for the moft part, made in the fliape of a 

 bird, with a few pebbles in the belly; and the tail is the 

 handle. They have others, however, that bear rather more 

 refemblance to a child's rattle. 



In trafficking with us, fome of them would betray a 

 knavilh difpofuion, and carry off our goods without making 

 any return. But, in general, it was otherwife ; and we had 

 abundant reafon to commend the fairnefs of their conduct. 

 However, their cagernefs to polTefs iron and brafs, and, in- 

 deed, any kind of metal, v/as fo great, that few of them 

 could refifl the temptation to ileal it, whenever an opportu- 

 nity offered. The inhabitants of the South Sea Iflands, as 

 appears from a variety of inftances in the couvfe of this 

 voyage, rather than be idle, would fteal any thing that they 

 could lay their hands upon, without ever confidering, whe- 

 ther it could be of ufe to them or no. The novelty of the 

 objcd, with them, was a fufiScient motive for their endea- 

 vouring,. 



