Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/195

] opposite to her, forming a circle round the musicians.

When the women had ceased dancing, several men rose up, each holding in his hand a little club, nearly of the shape of a paddle. These they brandished about, keeping time with much precision, and making different movements with their feet. The musicians, after they had sung some tunes in very slow time, sung often very quick, which gave this sort of pyrrhic dance a very animated action, that we admired for a long while. The subject of this dance excited our curiosity; but we soon found, that its object was to celebrate the great deeds of some of their warriors. The women occasionally united their voices with those of the men, accompanying their song with very graceful movements.

One of the armourers of the Esperance was much surprized to see among these dancers, and not far from Futtafaihe, the native who had stolen his sabre; this chief having always assured us that he could never find out the thief. It appeared to us, however, that it was one of his attendants: but he retired with precipitation as soon as he perceived that he was known.

During this time a pyramid of bamboos had been erected, to which were suspended different