154 A C C O U N T O F T H E 



whale happens to be caft on fliore, the inhabitants af- 

 fenible with great marks of joy, and perform a number 

 of extraordinary ceremonies. They dance and beat 

 drums ••• of different fizes : they then cut up the fifli, 

 of which the greateft and heft part is confumed on 

 the fpot. On fuch occafions they wear flio\^'y caps ; 

 and fome of them dance naked in wooden maflvs, which 

 reach down to their llioulders, and reprefent various forts 

 of fea-animals. Their dances confift of fliort fteps for-^ 

 wards, accompanied with many ftrange geftures. 



Marriage ceremonies are unknown among them^ 

 and each man takes as many wives as he can maintain; 

 but the number feldom exceeds four. Thefe women 

 are occafionally ahowed to cohabit with other men ; 

 they and their children are alfo not unfrequently bar- 

 tered in exchange for commodities. When an iflander 

 dies, the body is bound with thongs, and afterwards ex- 

 pofed to the air in a fort of wooden cradle hung upon 



* The exprefGon in the original is " Schlagen auf grofTen platten 

 " handpauken," which, being literally tranflated, fignifies " They beat 

 " upon large flat hand-kettle drums of different founds." 



By the accounts which I procured at Peterfburg, concerning the 

 form of thefe drums, they feem to refemble in fhape thofe made ufe of 

 by the forcerers of Kamtchatka, and are of different fizes. I had an 

 opportunity of feeing one of the latter at the Cabinet of Curiofities. It 

 is of an oval form, about two feet long and one broad : it is covered 

 only at one end like the tambour _de bafque, and is worn upon the arm 

 like a fliield. 



a crofs- 



