T H E P A C I F I C O G E A N. 249 



111 order to give them a more favourable opinion of Eng- '777- 

 lifh amufements, and to leave their minds fully imprelTed 

 with the deepeft fenfe of our fuperior attainments, I direded 

 fome fireworks to be got ready ; and, after it was dark, 

 played them off in the prefence of Feenou, the other 

 Chiefs, and a vaft concourfe of their people. Some of the 

 preparations we found damaged ; but others of them were 

 in excellent order, and fucceeded fo perfectly, as to anfwer 

 the end I had in view^. Our water and flcy-rockets, in par- 

 ticular, pleafed and aftoniflied them beyond all conception ; 

 and the fcale was now turned in our favour. 



This, however, feemed only to furnifh them with an 

 additional motive to proceed to frefh exertions of their very 

 fmgular dexterity; and our fireworks were no fooner ended, 

 than a fucceffion of dances, which Feenou had got ready 

 for our entertainment, began. As * a prelude to them, a 

 band of mufic, or chorus of eighteen men, feaced them- 

 felves before us, in the centre of the circle, compofed by 

 the numerous fpe<5lators, the area of which was to be the 

 fcene of the exhibitions. Four or five of this band, had 

 pieces of large bamboo, from three to five or fix feet long, 

 each managed by one man, who held it nearly in a vertical 

 pofition, the upper end open, but the other end clofed by 

 one of the joints. With this clofe end, the performers kept 

 conftantly ilriking the ground, though flowly, thus pro- 

 ducing different notes, according to the different lengths of 

 the inilruments, but all of them of the hollow or bafe fort ; 

 to countera(5l which, a perfon kept llriking quickly, and 

 with two flicks, a piece of the fame fubilance, fplit, and 



* A'Ir. Anderfon's account of the night dances being much fuller than Captain 

 Cook's, the reader will not be difpleafed that it has been adopted. 



Vol. I. K k laid 



