Friendly 
Islands, 
Amuse- 
ments, 
760 
One of their most favourite amusements is bathing, 
in which they generally indulge two or three times a 
day ; and they have different water games, in which 
both sexes join. ‘Two posts are fixed about a hundred 
distance from each other, in a depth of water about 
four feet; and the company, dividing into two parties, a 
large stone is placed between them: »'The contest ‘is, 
which side shall first drag the stone to their own post ; 
and the divers generally remain a considerable time 
struggling around the stone, at the bottom of the water. 
Another bathing diversion consists in going out at high 
water, when the sea rolls in on their flat shores with 
great force, and then ride in on the swell, steering them- 
selves on the top of the wave with the utmost dexterity, 
stretching out one hand like a prow, and guiding them- 
selves with the other like a rudder. When a ‘spectator 
would apprehend that they must infallibly be dashed 
lifeless on’ the beach, they will turn on one ‘side with 
surprising agility, and darting through the ‘next: wave, 
swim out to sea to renew the sport; or, if tired of the 
amusement, will shoot through the refluent surge, and 
Jand in perfect safety. ‘another favourite diversion, ese 
pecially of the chiefs, is rat shooting. The cocoa nut 
roasted and chewed, is strewed by the servants near the 
holes of these animals; and the sportsmen take their 
stand with bows and arrows. By making a squeaking 
noise like that of the rats, they entice them to come out, 
and, while they are feeding on the nuts, they take aim 
alternately, and whosoever kills most in the same num- 
_bver of shots wins the game. Wrestling and boxing 
matches furnish another source of entertainment ; in both 
of which exercises they have been’ generally conquerors, 
when engaged with Europeans, and are particularly re- 
markable for the good’ humour’ which they preserve 
when worsted. » Though a very active people, they fre- 
quently spend whole days in luxurious indolence, walk- 
ing among’the plantations, or collecting in one another's 
houses for the sake of conversation ; but these:more se- 
dentary days are generally concluded by dancing ‘and 
singing, which is their most favourite amusement. The 
chief sends through his district, collecting about 40 or 50 
young persons, ‘of both sexes, to ‘dance by toreh light 
with his regular attendants. The women, on these oc- 
casions, are clothed with a thin drapery, having their 
necks and shoulders encircled with wreaths of flowers, 
and their dark ringlets bespangled with the whitest and 
most aromatic blossoms. Their dances are said to be 
beautifully diversified, and to be performed by compa- 
nies of eighty or a hundred, with the greatest prompt- 
ness, regularity, and gracefulness of movement. This 
amusement is frequently continued till midnight, and 
sometimes till morning, ‘one set retiring to rest, while 
another rises to dance. It is their great pastime on all 
occasions, and pers concludes even their ceremonies 
of mourning. It is however too often performed with 
little regard to decency, and is generally an incentive to 
the most licentious excesses. Their music is very sim- 
ple and pleasing, but extremely monotonous. (Their 
songs are lively and ‘melodious ; but their instruments 
are very defective. One, composed of unequal sized 
reeds, resembles Pan’s"pipe. Another is a flute of bami- 
boo, about 18 inches in length, closed at both extremi- 
ties, with a hole near to each end, and four others in the 
middle. Into this instrument-they blow with one nos- 
tril instead of the mouth, and, with’ only three notes, 
produce a pleasing simple music. The principal instru« 
FRIENDLY ISLANDS: | 
ment is a kind of drum, formed of a log of wood, hollows 
ed throughout with a long narrow aperture, laid length. 
wise upon two solid pieces, and beaten with bamboos of 
different lengths, so as to yield a sound accordi ; 
Seiwateek: eo en ama 
have a variety of ceremonies to express their 
ief for the dead; but they are of such a fatiiresiithat and fanseat 
it is difficult to decide, whether they give. r proof rites. 
of humanity or barbarity. When any of them dies, he 
is wrapped up in mats and cloth, and interred in burying 
places called Fiatookas. These are large inclosed “spas 
ces, having in the middle a lofty Rnebil ile, of a pyras 
midal form, around which the bodies of the chiefs,. (for 
the inferior people have no particular spot’ of interment 
are collected for many ‘generations, and e | 
style of rude but solemn dignity. When the deceased 
is a person of distinction, some of his wives, or other rea 
lations, are strangled at the moment that his corpse is 
deposited ; and the nearer relatives, in every case, in- 
flict upon themselves many bloody marks of sorrow. 
The most common way of testifying grief, is ‘to strike 
their faces and breasts with thei chai pas any uf 
them have scars on their cheek bones,” Abtiig a:chele 
produced'by burning, occasioned by the frequent’ abra- 
sion of the skin. At other times they strike a shark's 
tooth into their foreheads, beat their teeth with’ stones, 
and even thrust Spears through their cheeks, or into 
their sides and ‘thighs. Around the graves of theit 
kings and principal chiefs, they often mangle one ano« 
ther in a kind of bacchanalian frenzy, of which 'the fol 
lowing account is given by one of the missionaries, who 
resided lately among them for several years, “ The 
space round the tomb was, on this occasion, a palestra 
for savage gladiators. Hundreds ran about it with fero- 
cious emulation, to signalize their grief for the venerated 
chief, or their contempt of pain and death, by inflicting 
on themselves the most ghastly wounds, and exhibiting 
spectacles of the greatest horror. ‘Thousands, ere the 
period of mourning was over, fought with each other, 
and cut themsélves with sharp instruments. It was an 
awful scene indeed! Night after night we heard, for 
some weeks, the horrid sound of the conchshell rousing 
these deluded creatures to these dreadful rites of mourn- 
ing for the dead ; and shrieks and clashing arms, and the 
rushing and: violence of the multitude, re-echoed round 
our abode, and rendered it a scene of continual horror 
and alarm.” : 
The natives of the Friendly Islands 
stature the common size of Europeans ; and are generally 
strongly built and well proportioned in their figure, their 
shoulders are broad, and their whole form conveys the 
idea of strength rather than of beauty. ‘They have good 
eyes and teeth, and are free from that uncommon thick« 
ness about the lips, which is found among the inhabi- 
tants of the other islands in the Pacific. ‘Their hair is 
thick, straight, and strong, though sometimes bushy | 
and frizzled ; and its natural colour is black,’ but many 
of them stain it of a white, brown, purple, or orange 
hue. There is obscrvable among them a great variety 
of features, many Roman profiles and E ‘faces ; 
and the only general likeness which characterises them, 
is a fulness at the point of the nose. The general co- 
lour of their skin is a cast deeper than copper) brown ; 
but several of them have a true olive complexion. The 
greater part of the people have a dull hue, and a d 
of roughness on the surface of the body, especially where 
seldom exceed in Natives. 
