THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 8jj 



fide, by intervals, till the whole number had again formed »777. 

 a circle about the chorus. 



Their manner of dancing was now changed to a quicker 

 meafure, in which they made a kind of half turn by leap- 

 ing, and clapped their hands, and fnapped their fingers, 

 repeating fome words in conjunf^ion with the chorus. To- 

 ward the end, as the quicknefs of the mufic increafed, 

 their geftures and attitudes were varied with wonderful 

 vigour and dexterity ; and fome of their motions, perhaps, 

 would, with us, be reckoned rather indecent. Though this 

 part of the performance, moll probably, was not meant to 

 convey any wanton ideas, but merely to difplay the aftonifla- 

 ing variety of their movements. 



To this grand female ballet, fucceeded one performed by 

 fifteen men. Some of them were old ; but their age feemed 

 to have abated little of their agility or ardour for the dance. 

 They were difpofed in a fort of circle, divided at the front, 

 with their faces not turned out toward the alTembly, nor 

 inward to the chorus ; but one half of their circle faced for- 

 ward as they had advanced, and the other half in a con- 

 trary diredion. They, fometimes, fung flowly, in concert 

 with the chorus ; and, while thus employed, they alfo made 

 feveral very fine motions with their hands, but different 

 from thofe made by the v/omen, at the fame time inclining 

 the body to either fide alternately, by raifing one leg, which 

 was ftretched outward, and reding on the other; the arm of 

 the fame fide being alfo flretched fully upward. At other 

 times, they recited fentences in a mufical tone, which were 

 anfwered by the chorus ; and, at intervals, increafed the 

 meafure of the dance, by clapping the hands, and quick- 

 ening the motions of the feet, which, however, were never 

 yaricd. At the end, the rapidity of the mufic, and of the 



K k 2 dancing, 



