THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
295 
fort of garment covered with red feathers. Thefe danced, i 777 
fnng, and twirled the pagge , as before; but, in general, , ^ une ‘ 
much quicker, and performed fo well, that they had the 
conftant applaufes of the fpeftators. A motion that met 
with particular approbation, was one in which they held 
the face alide, as if afhamed, and the pagge before it. The 
back rank clofed before the front one, and that again re¬ 
fumed its place, as in the two former dances ; but then they 
began again, formed a triple row, divided, retreated to each 
end of the area, and left the greateft part of the ground 
clear. At that inifant, two men entered very haftily, and ex- 
ercifed the clubs which they ufe in battle. They did this, 
by firft twirling them in their hands, and making circular 
ftrokes before them with great force and quicknefs; but fo 
fkilfully managed, that, though handing quite clofe, they 
never interfered. They drifted their clubs from hand to 
hand, with great dexterity ; and, after continuing a little 
time, kneeled, and made different motions, toffing the 
clubs up in the air, which they caught as they fell; and 
then went off as haftily as they entered. Their heads were 
covered with pieces of white cloth, tied at the crown (al- 
moft like a night-cap) with a wreath of foliage round the 
forehead; but they had only very fmall pieces of white 
cloth tied about their waifts ; probably, that they might be 
cool, and free from every encumbrance or weight. A per- 
fon with a fpear, dreffed like the former, then came in, and 
in the fame hafty manner; looking about eagerly, as if in 
fearch of fomebody to throw it at. He then ran haftily to 
one fide of the crowd in the front, and put himfelf in a 
threatening attitude, as if he meant to ftrike with his fpear. 
at one of them, bending the knee a little, and trembling, 
as it were with rage. He continued in this manner only a 
3 few 
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