308 A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
*194- appellations we were not acquainted with, over whom he feemed to September. 1 4 _ ■ 1
i ___ y— J confider our vifit to him as a great triumph; and from his manner of
fpeaking, there evidently appeared to exift no fmall degree of jealoufy
betweén them. He then proceeded to enumerate the various good qualities
that marked the charafter of the Spaniards and the Englilh; that
both were llrongly attached to himfelf and his people, and that he hoped
that we fhould be much pleafed by being entertained according to their
manner of receiving vifitors.
The performers I believe were all in readinefs without, and anxious
to begin their part; for the inftant Maquijina had ceafed fpeaking, the
hollow board mufic recommenced, and a man entered the houfe moft
fantaftically dreffed in a war garment, which reached to the calves of his
legs, but not below them; this was yarioufly ornamented, as was alfo his
face with black and red paint, fo that, his features appeared to be moft
extravagantly diftorted, or more properly fpeaking, they were fcarcely
diftinguifhable;, his hair was powdered, or rather intirely covered with
the moft delicate white down of young fea fowl, and in his hand he bore
a mulket with a fixed bayonet, making altogether a moft favage, though
at the fame time a whimfical figure; this, man was.followed by about
twenty more, decorated with eonfiderable variety after the fame faftnon,
but differently armed; fome like himfelf with mufkets, .others with piftols,
fwords, daggers, fpears, bows, arrows, filh-gigs, and hatchets, feem-
> mgly with intent to difplay their wealth and. power, by an exhibition of
the feveral implements they poffeffed, as well for the ufe o f war, as for
obtaining the different neceffaries of life, '
This indefcribable group of figures was drawn, up before us.;' and
nptwithftanding we were perfeftly fatisfiêd of the harmlefs-and peaceable
intentions of thefe people, y e t i believe there Was .not one of our party
intirely free from thofe fenfations which will naturally arife from the fight
of fuch unufual objeQs ; whofe favage and barbarous appearance, was not
a little, augmented by their aftioiis and vociferous behaviour, accompanied
by an exhibition, that confifted principally of jumping in a very peculiar
manner. In this effort the legs did not feem tp partake much of
the exertion, although they fometimes raifed themfelves to a eonfiderable
2 height;
r o u n d t h e w o r l d . 3°9
height;' and we underftood that thofe were confidered to be the bell
performers, who kept their feet conftantly parallel to each other, or in v >
one certain po.fition, with the leafl poflible inclination of the knees. After
thefe had finifhed their part, Maquinna performed a mafic dance by himfelf,
in . which,' with great addrefs, he frequently and almoft imperceptibly
changed his malic; this feemed to be 'a .very favorite amufement of his,
as he appeared to be .in high fpirits, and to take great delight in the
performance. The mafks he had made choice of, certainly did credit to
his imagination in point of whimfical effefl; his drefs was different from
that worn by any of the other performers, confifting of a cloak and a
kind of fhort apron, covered with hollow fhells, and fmall pieces of copper
fo placed as to ftrike againft each other,, and to produce a jingling
noife; which,, being accompanied by the mufic before deferibed as a fub-
ftitute for a drum, and fome vocal exertions, produced a favage difeor-
dant.-noire as pffenfive to the ear, as the former exhibition had been to
the eye. Butas dje objefl of our vifit was a compliment to Maquinnai,
a previous: determination to be pleafed infilled our plaudits, which were
bountifully bellowed, and received with great pleafure and fatisfaftion by
the furrounding fpe&ators. ......
A paufe now took place in the entertainments, which however was
foon filled up to the great gratification of our holt and his friends.' The
prefents that had been provided for the occafion were now exhibited to
public view, confifting of copper, blue cloth, blankets, ear fhells, and
a variety of fmall articles of left value ;, thefe were feverally diftributed
by Sen'- Alava and myfelf to , Maquinna and his relations, according to
the rank and confequence of each; in thefe,tokens of our friandlhip we
fucceeded fo.well, that our liberal donations foon refounded through the
village,, and the glad tidings, were received with loud acclamations of ap-
plaufe.’ On thefe, fubfiding, we. had a fecond vocal and inllrumental
performance,' which concluded by a return from Maquinna, for the prefents
we had made. In this Maquinna did not perfonally appear; Whdr
clajffepultz, afling as mafter of the ceremonies, firft addreffed: Senr- Alava
in a fhort fpee.ch, refpeaing .the friendlhip that had fo long been eftablifhed
between the-Spaniards, and the tribes under the authority of Maquinna,