zg 6 
A VOYAGE TO 
1 777 > few ieconds, when he moved to the other fide, and having 
ftood in the fame pofture there, for the fame diort time, 
retreated from the ground, as faft as when he made his ap¬ 
pearance. The dancers, who had divided into two parties, 
kept repeating fomething llowly all this while; and now 
advanced, and joined again, ending with univerfal applaufe. 
It fliould feem that this dance was confidered as one of their 
capital performances, if we might judge from fome of the 
principal people being engaged in it. For one of the drums 
was beat by Futtafaihe, the brother of Poulaho, another by 
Feenou, and the third, which did not belong to the chorus, 
by Mareewagee himfelf, at the entrance of his hut. 
The laft dance had forty men, and two drums, as a 
chorus. It confifted of lixty men, who had not danced 
before, difpofed in three rows, having twenty-four in front. 
But, before they began, we were entertained with a pretty 
long preliminary harangue, in which the whole body made 
refponfes to a lingle perfon who fpoke. They recited fen- 
tences (perhaps verfes) alternately with the chorus, and 
made many motions with the pagge , in a very brilk mode, 
which were all applauded with mareeai ! and fyfogge / words 
expreffing two different degrees of praife. They divided 
into two bodies, with their backs to each other; formed 
again, drifted their ranks, as in the other dances; divided 
and retreated, making room for two champions, who ex- 
ercifed their clubs as before; and after them two others: 
the dancers, all the time, reciting flowly in turn with the 
chorus; after which they advanced, and finidied. 
Thefe dances, if they can properly be called fo, laded 
from eleven till near three o’clock ; and though they were, 
doubtlefs, intended, particularly, either in honour of us, 
or to diew a fpecimen of their dexterity, vaft numbers of 
' their 
