March, multiplied they were to be diftributed among!! the other ilhmds; and the
«-r—J produce of them Were put under the'fame reftriffions as 1 had exacted at
Owhyhee; with all which, himfelf, and the- chiefs then prefent, very
ferioufly promifed to comply.
On our arrival at the place of exhibition, we found the performers
aflembled, confiding of a numerous throng, .chiefly of women, who were
drefled in their various coloured clothes, difpofed with a good effeft. The
entertainment confided of three parts, and was performed by three different
parties, confiding of about two hundred women in each, who
ranged themfelves in five or fix rows, not Handing up, nor kneeling,
but rather fitting upon their haunches. One man only advanced a few
feet before the centre of the front row of the ladies, who feemed to be
the hero of the piece, and, like a flugal man, gave tone and. action to
the entertainment. In this fituation and podure they exhibited a .varie-
ty of gedures, almod incredible for the human body fo circumdanced to
perform. The whole of this numerous group was in fuch perfect unifon
o f voice and aflion, that it. were impodible, even to the bend o f a finger,
to have difcerned the lead variation. Their voices Were melodious,
and their aftions were as innumerable as, to me, they are undefcriba-
ble; they exhibited great eafe and much elegance, and the whole was
executed with a degree of correftnefs not eafily to be imagined. This
was particularly driking in one part, where the performance, inftantly
changed from a loud full chorus, and vad agitation in the countenances
and gedures of the actors, to the mod profound, filence and compo-
fure ; and indead of continuing in their previous ereft attitude, all fell
down as it. were lifelefs, and in their fall buried themfelves under their
garments; conveying, in lbme meafure, the idea of. a boiderous ocean
becoming fuddenly tranquillized by an inftant calm. The great diver-
fity of their figured drefles on this occafion had a particularly good effeft;
the feveral other parts were condufied with the fame correftnefs and
uniformity, but were lefs eafy to defcribe.' There appeared to. be much
variety and little repetition, not only in the aiding of the refpeftive fets,
but in the whole of the three parts; the performers in which, could not
amount to lefs than fix hundred perfons. This hoorah was completely.free
from
from the difguding obfcenity exhibited in the former entertainments, which ^794*
I have before had occafion to notice. It was conduced through every i__,_
part with great life and vivacity; and was, without exception, the mod
pleafing, amufement of the kind we had feen performed in the courfe of
the voyage. .
The fpeclators, who were as numerous as at Owhyhee, were in their
bed apparel, and all retired very peaceably after the clofe of the performance,
about the fetting o f the fun.
All our friends feemed to be much gratified with the applaufe we had
bellowed, and the fatisfaftion we exprefled at the great fkill, dexterity,
and tafle of the performers. This entertainment was dated to be in
compliment to the pregnancy of one of the regent’s wives, and that it
would frequently be repeated until die was brought to bed; which event
was expeéled to take place in about three months.
In return for the amufement we had derived, we entertained the multitude
after it was dark in our way, by a difplay of fire works, which as
ufual were received with great furprize and admiration.
The weather being more fettled, on the following day we completed wedncC, i=i
our water; and having procured a few hogs, with a tolerable fupply of
vegetables, our intended departure was made known to the regent prince
and the reft of the chiefs; who, on receiving fuch prefents as their fervices
had demanded or the occafion required, all took their leave, (excepting
one or two who propofed to accompany us to Onehow,) with every ex-
preflion of the moft friendly regard and attachment, and with repeated
felicitations for our fpeedy return.
For the purpofe of procuring a fea ftock of yams, which we were given
to underftand by the natives might be readily obtained at Onehow, we
quitted Attowai in the morning of the tgth, and direQed our courfe .to
that ifland.
By our feveral vifits to Attowai, we had found that the roadftead of
Whymea was much confined in refpeft of fafe anchorage; for although the
Difcovery’s cables had not been injured by a foul bottom, yet the Chat-*
ham, in march 1792, when anchored in go fathoms water at only a
convenient diftance to the north-weft of the Difcovery, on a bottom of
2 ' loft