Page:A Lady's Cruise in a French Man-of-War.djvu/85

Rh These were exceedingly ungraceful, and half their point seemed to consist in making hideous grimaces and contortions, and in reduccingreducing [sic] wearing apparel to a minimum, consisting chiefly of green leaves. I think that on the slightest encouragement they would have dispensed with any. Each figure was more ungainly than its predecessor, and seemed likely to be prolonged indefinitely; so, as it struck me that the entertainment would scarcely meet with the approbation of the good Fathers, should it occur to them for any reason to come over, I suggested that the children should give us a parting song, whereupon they sang "Malbrooke" and "Bon Soir" very prettily, though I daresay the French words they repeated did not convey much more to their minds than do the Latin prayers.

Then the party dispersed, and now the school-girls are all safely stowed away beneath their close tappa mosquito-curtains, like a regiment under tents, and I am in possession of the inner reeded room. It is a great boon to have such a haven of refuge from the multitude of gazing brown eyes.

By the shouts from the rara I know that the council has broken up, and the real Samoan dance has now begun; but from the specimen given to me by the ladies, I think it is just as well that I came away.—Now, good-night.

CHAPTER VI.

At early dawn my pretty half-caste damsel took me to bathe in the river, but the shore was muddy and not very attractive. We returned in time for service in the little church, which is about to