TONGATABOO. 



21 



n-c I ^ff^-^rr = ff' 



-?-? * * r r F 



ft) U 4-4 kj I— H- 4 4 



•> >*»j ■>»«g 



*?)• -tt 





( --^-e-F 1 Ir-H-H 5 ^- 



iii 



*~ -d 4. d 



-44.4 



-»-P-F-W-^F3 



C3 1 1 1 V <F 



To this they sing any words, but generally such as are applicable 

 to the mission of business or pleasure they may be on ; and although 

 the air and bass are heard most distinctly, the four parts are all sung 

 in the most perfect harmony. From the fact that the tenors and 

 basses sing parts of a bar, alternating with each other, and come in 

 perfectly, it would seem that they cultivate music in their own rude 

 way, producing a wild but agreeable effect. To this the scullers keep 

 time. 



This music has a great resemblance to that of the Samoan Group, 

 and it is the custom in both to sing it while at work. It may there- 

 fore be inferred that it is native, for the Tongese never had foreign 

 music of any kind taught them. The missionaries themselves do 

 not sing, and . declared they were not able to tell Old Hundred from 

 God save the King, if the same words were adapted to both ! 

 The females of this island, generally, have very musical voices, 

 whose pitch is the same as that of European women ; the voice 

 of the men is a full octave below, round and full ; all are very apt 

 in learning a tune. Mr. Drayton remarks that he did not hear a 

 single strain in the minor mood in singing, nor even in their natural 

 sounds in speaking. Music might be cultivated among this people 

 with great success, from the evident delight they take in musical 

 sounds, and their strong desire to learn ; but they could with diffi- 

 culty be prevailed upon to sing, for the state of the country and the 

 fear of the missionaries, or the order of the king, prevented it. 



Finding me engaged on the island of Pangai-Moutu, at the observa- 

 tory, the natives passed to the shore. I received them in my tent, 

 and the first words spoken were to inform me that they had come to 

 the conference ; and they asked where their adversaries were 



Being 



VOL. III. 



