26 TAHITI. 



The men of Tahiti care little about music, but the women appear 

 to be passionately fond of it, and have very correct ears. Many of 

 them have rich contralto voices, and can descend to very low notes, 

 while others do not differ in this respect from the females of our own 

 country ; occasionally one may be found that can sound exceedingly 

 clear and very high notes. Their voices accord well with each 

 other, and a party of four or five will make excellent harmony. 



If they ever had any native music, it has long been forgotten, and 

 no other singing is now heard, but hymns and sailors' songs ; you 

 observe, however, a peculiar nasal sound, particularly in those who 

 indulge in the latter class of singing. 



Social amusements are prohibited by severe penalties, although 

 the people are evidently fond of them : I neither saw nor heard myself 

 of any dancing or theatrical amusements during our stay. Some of 

 the officers, however, persuaded a few females to exhibit a dance, 

 upon the strict assurance that they should not be informed against. 

 Mats were spread upon the floor, on which two of the girls stood up 

 to dance, while the others sat cross-legraed around. One of the latter 

 began by uttering a few words of no delicate import, in reply to 

 which all the others made a sort of grunt, with the mouth shut. To 

 this succeeds another set of sounds uttered with the mouth open. 



Mouth shut. Mouth open. 

 u. I t r T t r 



3~ 



I 



9 & 9~ 



umh umh umh ha ha ha 



To this all keep time, by drawing up the legs, thrusting out the 

 arms, and making all sorts of contortions. In the meantime the two 

 dancers proceed, twisting their bodies into all kinds of lascivious 

 postures. Little can be said for the gracefulness of these motions, 

 although many have described them as such. The whole finishes 

 by a simultaneous clapping of the hands. 



The party that was despatched for the purpose of makino- an 

 attempt to reach the top of Orohena, consisted of fifteen persons, 

 including four natives as guides, and an American of the name of 

 Lewis Sacket, as interpreter. This man was from the State of New 

 York, and was admirably qualified for his duties. 



By the advice of the Rev. Mr Wilson, the party took the route 

 across the island which follows the Pappino valley. The distance on 

 this line, to Lake Waiherea, is no more than twenty-five miles, 



