S72 NATIVE DANCES. 



Returning; to our visitors : — the fiddle^ Me, and 

 drum were put in requisition, and a dance got up to 

 amuse them. The women could not be persuaded 

 to join, but two of the men treated us to one of their 

 own dances, each haAdng been previously furnished 

 with a native drum or haiatu. They advanced and 

 retreated tog-ether by sudden jerks, beating to quick 

 or slow time as required, and chaunting- an accom- 

 panying song, the cadence rising and falling accord- 

 ing to the action. The attitude was a singular one — 

 the back straight, chin protruded, knees bent in a 

 crouching position, and the arms advanced j on 

 another occasion, one of the same men exhibited 

 himself before us in a war dance. In one hand he 

 held a large wooden shield, nearly three feet in 

 length and rather more than one in width, and in 

 the other a formidable looking weapon two feet in 

 length — a portion of the snout of a saw-fish with long 

 sharp teeth projecting on each side. Placing himself 

 in a crouching attitude, with one hand covered by 

 the shield, and holding his weapon in a position to 

 strike, he advanced rapidly in a succession of short 

 bounds, striking the inner side of the shield with his 

 left knee at each jerk, causing the large cowries hung 

 round his waist and ankles to rattle violently. At 

 the same time ^ith fierce gestures he loudly chaunted 

 a song of defiance. The remainder of the panto- 

 mime was expressive of attack and defence, and 

 exultation after victory. But a still more curious 

 dance was one performed a few nights ago bv a party 



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