AMUSEMENTS. 
193 
CHAP. VIII. 
Account of the music and amusements of the islanders— 
Description of the sacred drum—Heiva drum, &c. 
Occasions of their use—The bu or trumpet—Ihara— 
The vivo, or flute—General character of their songs— 
Elegiac singularly beautiful—Translation of a war 
song-—Ballads, a kind of classical authority—Enter¬ 
tainments and amusements — Taupiti, or festival — 
Wrestling and boxing—Effects of victory and defeat— 
Foot-races — Martial games — Sham - fights — Naval 
reviews—Apai, bandy or cricket—Tuiraa, or foot-ball 
—The haruraa puu, a female game—-Native dances— 
Heiva, &c.—The te-a, or archery—Bows and arrows— 
Religious ceremonies connected with the game—Never 
used by the Society Islanders except in their amusements 
—Discontinued since the introduction of Christianity. 
As a people, the South Sea Islanders were pecu¬ 
liarly addicted to pleasure, and to their music, 
dances, and other amusements, nearly as much of 
their time was devoted as to all other avocations. 
Their music wanted almost every quality that 
could render it agreeable to an ear accustomed to 
harmony, and was deficient in all that constitutes 
excellence. It was generally boisterous and wild, 
and, with the exception of the soft and plaintive 
warblings of the native flute, was distinguished 
by nothing so much as its discordant, deafening 
sounds. 
The principal musical instrument used by the 
South Sea Islanders, was the pahu , or drum. 
This varied in size and shape, according to the 
purpose for which it was designed. Their drums 
o 
