Jcne. 



THEPACIFICOCEAN. 39: 



fi-ees, from three to four feet long, fome twice as thick as '777- 

 an ordinary fized man, and fome fmaller, hollowed emirely 

 out, but clofe at both ends, and open only by a chink, about 

 three inches broad, running alniolt the whole length of the 

 drums; by which opening, the reft of the wood is certainly 

 hollowed, though the operation muft be difficult. This in- 

 flrument is called 7inffa ; and, with the chink turned toward 

 them, they fit and beat ftrongly upon it, with two cylindrical 

 pieces of hard wood, about a foot long, and as thick as the 

 wrift ; by which means they produce a rude, though loud and 

 powerful found. They vary the ftrength and rate of their 

 beating, at different parts of the dance ; and alfo change the 

 tones, by beating in the middle, or near the end, of their drum. 



The firft dance confided of four ranks, of twenty-four 

 men each, holding in their hands a little, thin, light, 

 wooden inftrument, above two feet long, and, in fliape, 

 not unlike a fmall oblong paddle. With thefe, which are 

 called pcigge, they made a great many different motions; fuch 

 as pointing them toward the ground on one fide, at the fame 

 time inclining their bodies that way, from which they were 

 fliifted to the oppofite fide in the fame manner ; then pafling 

 them quickly from one hand to the other, and twirling 

 them about very dextroufly ; with a variety of other ma- 

 nceuvjes, all which were accompanied by correfponding at- 

 titudes of the body. Their motions were, at firlt, flow, but 

 quickened as the drums beat fafter; and they recited fen- 

 lences, in a mufical tone, the whole time, which were an- 

 fwered by the chorus ; but at the end of a fliort fpace they 

 all joined, and finiflaed with a fhout; 



After ceafing about two or three minutes, they began as 

 before, and continued, with fhort intervals, above a quarter 



of 



