‘794- They drew themfelves up in a line fronting that fide Februaiy. J # . J . 0 . of the fq*uare that
L_ —y— ; was occupied by the ladies of quality and the chiefs. Thefe were completely
detached from the populace, not by any partition, but, as it were,
by the refpeftful confent of the lower orders of the alfembly ; not one
of which trefpalfed or produced the leaft inaccommodation.
This reprefentation, like that before attempted to be defcribed, was
a compound of fpeaking and finging ; the fubjeft of which was enforced
by appropriate geftures and aftions. The piece was in honor of a captive
princefs, whofe name was Crycowcuttcneaow ; and on her name being
pronounced, every one prelent, men as well as women, who wore any ornaments
above their waift, were obliged to take them off, though the
captive lady was at leaft fixty miles diftant. This mark of refpeft was
unobferved by the aftreffes whilft engaged in the performance ; but the
inftant any one fat down, or at the clofe of the aft, they were alfo
obliged to comply with this myfterious ceremony.
The variety o f attitudes into which thefe women threw themfelves,
with the rapidity of their aftion, refembled no amufement in any other
part of tire world within my knowledge, by a comparifon with which I
might be enabled to convey fome idea of the ftage effeft thus produced;
particularly in the three firft parts, in which there appeared much corre-
fpondence and harmony between the tone of their voices, and the difplay
of their limbs. One or two of the performers being not quite fo perfeft
as the reft, afforded us an opportunity of exercifing our judgment by
comparifon ; and it muft be confeffed, that the ladies who moft excelled,
exhibited a degree of graceful aftion, for the attainment of which it is
difficult to account.
In each of thefe firft parts the fongs, attitudes, and aftions, appeared
to me of greater variety than I had before noticed amongft the people of
the great South Sea nation, on any former occafion. The whole, though
I am unequal to its defcription, was fupparted with a wonderful degree of
fpirit and vivacity ; fo much indeed that fome of their exertions were made
with fuch a degree of agitating violence, as feemed to carry the performers
beyond what their ftrength was able to fuftain ; and had the performance
finilhed with the third aft, we Ihould have retired from their
theatre
theatre with a much higher idea of the moral tendency of their drama,
than was conveyed by the offenfive, libidinous fcene, exhibited by the ladies v — J
in the concluding part. The language .; of the fong, no doubt, corre-
fponded with the obfeenity of their aftions; which were carried to a degree
of extravagance that were calculated to produce nothing but difguft,
even to the moft. licentious.
This hooarah occupied about an hour, and concluded with the de-
fcending fun, it being contrary to law that fuch reprefentations fliould
continue after that time of day. T h e . fpeftators inftantly retired in the
moft orderly manner, and difperfed in the greateft good humour; apparently
highly delighted with the entertainment they had received. But
as the gratification I had promifed on this occafion required the abfence o f
light, and could not be exhibited to advantage until a late hour, the multitude
were permitted to re-affemble in our neighbourhood foon afterwards
for this purpofe.
Our exhibition commenced about feven in the evening, and as we
ftill poffeffed a confiderable variety of fire-works in a tolerably good
ftate o f prefervation, an ample affortment was provided; and on being
thrown off, they produced from the expefting multitude fuch acclamations
of furprize and admiration from all quarters, as may be eafiiy imagined
to arife from the feelings of perfons totally unacquainted with
objefts of fuch an extraordinary nature. Tamaahmaah fired the two firft
rockets; but there were only one or two of the .chiefs who had courage
fufficient to follow his.example; and it was obferved amongft thofe who
were near us at the time, that in thefe apprehenfion was more predominant
than pleafure. The whole concluded with fome excellent Bengal-
lights, which illuminating the neighbourhood to a great diftance, almoft
equal to the return of day, feemed to produce more general fatisfaftion
than the preceding part of the exhibition.; and on its being announced,
that the light was (hewn to conduft them fafely to their refpeftive'habita-
tions, the crowd retired; and in the fpace of half an hour the ufual ftill-
nefs of the night was fo.completely reftored, that it. would rather have
been imagined there had not been a fingle ftranger in our neighbourhood,
than, that thoufands had fo recently departed.
AA so