side of the bay were just tinged with the
varied and beautiful colours of the sun, then
rising in splendour from behind them.,
The stillness of this extraordinary scene did
not last long. The Narpooes commenced a
noisy and discordant song and dance, yelling,
jumping, and making the most hideous faces.
This was soon answered by a loud shout from
our party, who endeavoured to outdo the
Narpooes in making horrible distortions of
their countenances : then succeeded another
dance from our visiters; after which our friends
made a rush, and in a sort of rough joke set
them running. Then all joined in a pell-mell
sort of encounter, in which numerous hard
blows were given and received ; then all the
party fired their pieces in the air, and the
ceremony of landing was thus deemed completed.
They then approached each other,
and began rubbing noses; and those who were
particular friends cried and lamented over
each other.
The slaves now commenced the labour of
making fires to cook the morning meal, while
the chiefs, squatting down, formed a ring, or
father an oblong circle, on the ground: then
one at a time rose up, and made long speeches;
which they did in a manner peculiar to themselves.
The speaker, during his harangue, keeps
running backwards and forwards within the
oblong space, using the most violent but appropriate
gesticulation; so expressive, indeed,
of the subject on which he is speaking, that a
spectator, who does not understand their language,
can form a tolerable idea as to what
the affair is then under debate. The orator
is never interrupted in his speech ; but when
he finishes and sits down, another immediately
rises up and takes his place, so that all
who choose have an opportunity of delivering
their sentiments; after which the assembly
breaks up.
Though the meeting of these hostile tribes
had thus ended more amicably than King
George and his party could have expected, it
was easily to be perceived that the Narpooes
were determined on executing some atrocity
or depredations before their return ; they accordingly
pretended to recollect some old offence
committed by the English settlers at the