DRUM, AND FLUTE. 197 
the blowing of this trumpet, they made a perfora- 
tion, about an inch in diameter, near the apex of 
the shell. Into this they inserted a bamboo cane, 
about three feet in length, which was secured by 
binding it to the shell with fine braid; the aper- 
ture was rendered air-tight by cementing the 
outsides of it with a resinous gum from the bread- 
fruit tree. These shells were blown when a 
procession walked to the temple, or their warriors 
marched to battle, at the mauguration of the 
king, during the worship at the temple, or when a 
tabu, or restriction, was imposed in the name of 
the gods. We have sometimes heard them blown. 
The sound is extremely loud, but the most mono- 
tonous and dismal that it is possible to imagine. 
_ The zhara was another exceedingly noisy 
instrument. It was formed from the single joint 
of a large bamboo cane, cut off a short distance 
beyond the two ends or joints. In the centre, a 
long aperture was made from one joint towards 
the other. The thara, when used, was placed 
horizontally on the ground, and _ beaten with 
sticks. It was not used in their worship, but 
‘simply as an amusement; its sounds were harsh 
and discordant. In its shape, &c. the ihara of 
the Polynesians appears to resemble the Topo- 
naztli of the Mexicans, described by Claverigo. 
The huehuetl, or drum of the latter, appears also 
to be much the same as the drum of the Tahi- 
tians, and was used on similar occasions. 
The vivo, or flute, was the most agreeable 
instrument used by the islanders. It was usually 
a bamboo cane, about an inch in diameter, and 
twelve or eighteen inches long. The joint in the 
cane formed one end of the flute; the aperture 
through which it was blown was close to the end ; 
