NATIVE DANCE. 343 



their round-bladed paddles against the gunwale 

 between every stroke. 



On landing, the prettiest sight possible awaited 

 us. The barrack-square, a green grass field of con- 

 siderable extent, was covered with the native sol- 

 diers, all dressed in their gayest holiday costume, 

 and decorated with scarfs and handkerchiefs of the 

 brightest colours, which streamed loosely from their 

 elbows. Some of the men were armed with narrow 

 bamboo shields, others with wooden swords, and the 

 remainder with the light stems of the sago-palm, 

 which were to be used as javelins. Each of these 

 warriors came dancing up to us in turn, to make his 

 obeisance, as we advanced to the spot where seats 

 had been prepared for us. As soon as we were all 

 seated the dance commenced. At first the spear- 

 men advanced towards each other, holding the 

 spear in the right hand, and the bamboo shields in 

 the left, keeping time to the rude music of a couple 

 of drums with very great accuracy, and dancing 

 quite as much with their arms as their legs, in the 

 most graceful manner possible. When they had 

 approached sufficiently near to each other, one 

 threw his spear with great force and dexterity, 

 still keeping time to the music, and the other par- 

 ried the weapon with his bamboo shield. I only 

 saw one instance of failure, and then the unfor- 

 tunate man received the blunt spear full on his 

 breast with such force that it sent him rolling head- 



