1769. out her hand to receive the beads which they of fered her, and no Princess in Europe could have Wednef. 2. done it with a better grace. Auguft. The people were fo much gratified by the prefents which were made to thefe girls, that when Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander returned they feemed attentive to nothing but how to oblige them; and in one of the houses they were, by order of the mafter, entertained with a dance, different from any that they had seen. It was performed by one man, who put upon his head a large cylindrical piece of wicker-work, or basket, about four feet long and eight inches in diameter, which was faced with feathers, placed perpendicularly, with the tops bending forwards, and edged round with fhark's teeth, and the tail feathers of Tropic birds: when he had put on this head-dress, which is called a Whow, he began to dance, moving flowly, and often turning his head fo as that the top of his high wicker. cap defcribed a circle, and fometimes throwing it fo near the faces of the fpectators as to make them start back this was held among them as a very good joke, and never failed to produce a peal of laughter, especially when it was off upon one of the strangers. played On the 3d, we went along the fhore to the northward, which was in a direction oppofite to that of the route Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander had taken the day before, with a defign to pur chafe 1769. Auguft. chase stock, which we always found the people more ready to part with, and at a more eafy price, at their houses than at the market. In Thursd, 3. the course of our walk we met with a company of dancers, who detained us two hours, and during all that time afforded us great entertainment. The company confifted of two women dancers, and fix men, with three drums; we were informed by Tupia, that they were some of the moft confiderable people of the island, and that though they were continually going from place to place, they did not, like the little ftrolling companies of Otaheite, take any gratuity from the fpectators. The women had upon their heads a confiderable quantity of Tamou, or plaited hair, which was brought several times round the head, and adorned in many parts with the flowers of the cape-jeffamine, which were stuck in with much tafte, and made a head-drefs truly elegant. Their necks, fhoulders, and arms were naked; fo were the breafts alfo as low as the parting of the arm; below that, they were covered with black cloth, which fet close to the body; at the fide of each breast, next the arm, was placed a small plume of black feathers, much in the fame manner as our ladies now wear their nofegays or Bouquets; upon their hips refted a quantity of cloth plaited very full, which reached up to the breaft, and fell down below into long petticoats, which quite conceal ed 1769. Auguft. ed their feet, and which they managed with as much dexterity as our opera dancers could have Thurid 3. done: the plaits above the waist were brown and white alternately, the petticoats below were all white. སྙ In this dress they advanced fideways in a measured ftep, keeping excellent time to the drums, which beat brifkly and loud; foon after they began to fhake their hips, giving the I folds of cloth that lay upon them a very quick motion, which was in fome degree continued through the whole dance, though the body was thrown into various poftures, fometimes standing, fometimes fitting, and fometimes refting on their knees and elbows, the fingers also be ing moved at the fame time with a quickness fcarcely to be imagined. Much of the dexterity of the dancers, however, and the entertainment of the fpectators, confifted in the wantonnefs of their attitudes and geftures, which was, indeed, fuch as exceeds all defcription. One of these girls had in her ear three pearls; one of them was very large, but fo foul that it was of little value; the other two were as big as a middling pea; thefe were clear, and of a good colour and fhape, though spoiled by the drilling. Mr. Banks would fain have purchafed them, and offered the owner any thing fhe would ask for them, but he could not be perfuaded to part with them at any price: he tempted |