132 CRUISE OF THE ' CUIUQOA.' 



naked and thickly smeared with oil. Around their hips 

 they had a roll of tapa, with a garland of pandanus nuts, 

 flowers, grasses, creepers, &c., nicely plaited up with leaves 

 into a girdle, with a fine white underbark hanging about it 

 in long shreds. They varied in appearance. The teachers 

 led the game, and, when tired, all halted awhile. They 

 executed all sorts of figures. Many of the natives came as 

 spectators of these games, and among the dancers were to 

 be seen several pretty well-made girls, some having their 

 hair tinted red, some white, and others again yellow, this 

 latter hue being derived from powdered sandal-wood. 

 When the game was over, the dancing girls advanced 

 towards the commodore, and having divested themselves of 

 their ornaments and dress, laid them at his feet in a great 

 heap. Sir William carried off all these trophies in his boat, 

 not choosing to hurt the feelings of the young ladies by 

 refusing their offerings. 



At the back of the island, about twelve miles from 

 Nukualofa, one of our officers, Mr. Foljambe, who went 

 there by boat, found a very curious object which had already 

 been mentioned by Mr. Moss. It consisted of two per- 

 pendicular rectangular blocks of stone about thirty feet in 

 height, supporting a large slab across the top surmounted 

 in the middle by a large bowl of the same material. Its 

 history seems to be entirely unknown, but it is very natural 

 to suppose from its form, that it was connected Avith some 

 ancient kava ceremonies, and it is a remarkable fact if, 

 according to the information which Mr. Foljambe received. 



