254 ^ REMARKS AND OPINIONS. 



festive dances of the Owliyeeans filled us with 

 admiration. 



The words mostly celebrate, like the Pindaric Odes, 

 the fame of some prince. Our knowledge of the 

 language was not sufficient to judge of their poetry. 

 The song is in itself monotonous. With the accom- 

 panying beats of the drum, it measures the turns 

 of the dance, bearing, as it Were, upon its waves a 

 superior harmony. In the varying dance, the hu- 

 man form develops itself to this measure, in the 

 most admirable manner, representing itself in a 

 constant flow of easy unconstrained motion, in 

 every natural and graceful position. We fancy 

 that we see the antique starting into life ; the feet 

 only bear the dancer. He moves forward with 

 composure. His body, his arms, all his muscles, 

 are expressive ; his countenance is animated. We 

 fix our eyes upon him as upon the Mime when 

 his art transports us. The drummers sit in the 

 back ground, the dancers stand before them in one 

 or more rows ; all join their voices in the chorus. 

 The song is at first slow and piano, and is gradually 

 and regularly quickened and strengthened, as the 

 dancers advance, and their action becomes ani- 

 mated. All execute the same motions. It is as if 

 the same dancer stood several times repeated be- 

 fore us. These festal games of Owhyee remind us 

 of the chorus of the Greeks, of tragedy before the 

 dialogue was introduced ; and, if we cast a look 

 upon ourselves, we perceive into what a wrong 



