THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 



247 



and when the provifions were removed on board, in the af- '777- 



May. 



ternoon, not a fingle article was miffing. There was as " ^ — ■* 



much as loaded four boats •, and I could not but be flruck 

 with the munificence of Feenou ; for this prefent far ex- 

 ceeded any I had ever received from any of the Sovereigns 

 of the various illands I had vifited in the Pacific Ocean. I 

 loft no time in convincing my friend, that I was not infen- 

 fible of his liberality ; for, before he quitted my fliip, I be- 

 flowed upon him fuch of our commodities, as, I guefTed, 

 were moft valuable in his eftimation. And the return I 

 made was fo much to his fatisfacflion, that, as foon as he 

 got on fliore, he left me ftill indebted to him, by fending 

 me a frefh prefent, confifting of two large hogs, a confider- 

 able quantity of cloth, and fome yams. 



Feenou had expreffed a defire to fee the marines go 

 through their military exercife. As I was defirous to gratify 

 his curiofity, I ordered them all afhore, from both fliips, in 

 the morning of the 20th. After they had performed various TuefJay zo. 

 evolutions, and fired fevcral voUies, with which the nume- 

 rous body of fpedlators feemed well pleafed, the Chief en- 

 tertained us, in his turn, with an exhibition, which, as was 

 acknowledged by us all, was performed with a dexrerity 

 and exadlnefs, far furpafiing the fpecimen we had given of 

 our military manoeuvres. It was a kind of a dance, fo en- 

 tirely different from any thing I had ever feen, that, I fear, 

 1 can give no defcription that will convey any tolerable idea 

 of it, to my readers. It was performed by men ; and one 

 hundred and five perfons bore their parts in it. Each of 

 them had in his hand an inftrument neatly made, fliaped 

 fomewhat like a paddle, of two feet and a half in length, 

 with a fmall handle, and a thin blade ; fo that they were 

 very light. With thefe inftruments they made m.any and 



various 



