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drums, all of which were executed simultaneously, and with ease, decision,
and grace. On the whole, it was an exhibition very creditable to
the talents of the performers. To this succeeded several dances; the
first, performed by a native of Atooi, was recommended principally by
a display of muscular energy : the next was executed by a man who was
esteemed the most accomplished actor of his time in lYoahoo, and the
son of the most celebrated dancer the islands ever had. He wore an
abundance of native cloth, variously stained, wrapped about his waist,
and grass ornaments fixed upon his legs above the ancles. A garland of
green leaves passed over his right shoulder and under his left arm,
and a wreath of yellow blossoms, very commonly worn in the Sandwich
Islands, was wound twice round his head. Unlike the former dance,
the merit of this consisted in an exhibition of graceful action, and a
repetition of elegant and uneonstraiucd movements.
The dance of the females was spoiled by a mistaken refinement,
which prevented their appearing, as formerly, with no other dress than
a covering to the hips, and a simple garland of flowers upon the head;
instead of this they were provided with frilled chemises, which so far
from taking away the appearance of indecency, produced an opposite
effect, and at once gave the performance a stamp of indelicacy. In
this dance, which by the way is the only one the females of these
islands have, they ranged themselves in a line, and began swinging the
arms carelessly, but not ungracefully, from side to side; they then proceeded
to the more active part of the dance, the principal art of which
consisted in twisting the loins without moving the feet or the bust.
After fatiguing themselves in accomplishing this to the satisfaction of
the spectators, they jumped sidewise, still twisting their bodies, and
accompanying their actions with a chorus, the words of whicli we supposed
bore some allusion to the performance. We had afterwards a
sham-fight with short spears, wherein very little skill was exhibited,
and, compared with the dexterity of the warlike Tamehameha, who is
said by Vancouver to have successfully evaded six spears thrown at him
at the same instant, the present representation was quite contemptible.
These exercises are now seldom practised, and in a short time, no doubt,
both they and the dances will cease to be exhibited.
On the 12th of February, we received the melancholy intelligence CHAP.
of the death of Krymakoo, who had long suffered under a dropsical
complaint, for which he had undergone frequent operations. Only four Fd,_
days previously he went to bathe in the sea at Kairua, in Owyhee, and
on coming out of the water he was taken ill, and died very soon afterwards.
He was at an advanced age, and had been present at the death
of our immortal countryman in Karakakoa Eay, and perfectly recollected
that fatal transaction. Krymakoo, or, as he was more generally
called, Pitt, from the circumstance of his being a contemporary
prime minister with our great statesman, became a protégé of Taine-
hameha shortly after the departure of Cook’s ships. He is first introduced
to our notice by Vancouver, who particularly remarks his superior
manners and conduct. His life was devoted to the advantage of his
country, and to the support of his illustrious patron, in whose service
he distinguished himself alike as a warrior and a counsellor. Intelligent,
faithful and brave, he was confided in and beloved by his king and
by his Countrymen, and lie was a chief in whom the foreign residents
placed implicit reliance. His ardent spirit and anxiety for the welfare
of his country led Tamehameha on one or two occasions of insurrection
to suspect his fidelity, and in order to put it to the test he is said to
have deprived him for the time of his estates ; an act of injustice, calculated
rather to increase than to allay any dissatisfaction that might
have existed in his mind. Pitt, nevertheless, remained faithful, and
fought by the side of his patron. After the death of Tamehameha, he
enjoyed almost sovereign power, which he employed to the benefit and
civilization of his countrymen. Ilis command of temper was not less
praiseworthy than his other virtues. On the occasion of some misunderstanding
between the missionaries and the seamen of an American
vessel, the crew wcim on shore with the view of burning Mr. Bingham s
house, but mistaking the place, they set fire to one belonging to Pitt. The
natives immediately flew to protect the property of their favourite chief,
and a serious quarrel was about to take place, to the disadvantage of the
Americans, wh'en Pitt, who had escaped the flames, harangued the mob
with the greatest composure, induced them to desist from acts of violence,
and persuaded the crew, who by this time had discovered their mistake, to
V— WAD, _