Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 3.djvu/93

76 '7r/i- Match.

multiplied they were to be diflributed amongft the other iilands ; and the jHoduce ol ihein were put under the fame reflritlions as 1 had exacted at Owhyhec ; with all which, himfelf, and the chkli; then prefent, very Icrioudy promifLd to Gomply.

On our arrival at the place of exhibition, we found the performers aflembled, confilHng of a numerous throng, chiefly of women, who were dreifed in their various coloured clothes, difpofed with a good effeft. The entertainment confided of three parts, and was performed by three dd- ferent parties, confilling of about two hundred women in each, who ranged themfelves in five or fix rows, not flanding 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 a6tion to the entertainment. In this fituation and poflure they exhibited a varie- ty of geflures, almoft incredible for the human body fo circumftanced to perform. The whole of this numerous group was in fuch perfe6l unifon of voice and action, that it were impoflTible, even to the bend of a fin- ger, to have difcerned the leaft variation. Their voices were melodious, and their aftions were as innumerable as, to me, they are undefcriba- ble ; they exhibited great cal? and much elegance, and the whole was executed with a degrc-c of corre6lne(s not eafily to be imagined. This was particularly flriking in one part, where the performance inftantly changed from a loud full chorus, and vafl agitation in the countenances and geflures of the aftors, to the mofl profound filence and compo- fure ; and inftcad of continuing in theii previous creft attitude, all fell down as it were lifelefs, and in their fall buried themfelves under their garments: conveying, in fome meafurc, the idea of a boifterous ocean becoming fuddenly tranquillized by an inftant calm. The great diver- fity of their figured drcfles on this occafion had a particularly good cfletl ; the feveral other parts were conduftcd with the fame correftnefs and unit'brmity, but were Icfs eafy to defcribc. There appeared to be much variety and little repetition, not only in the acting of the refpeftive fets, but in the whole of the three parts -, the performers in which, could not amount tolels than iix hundred perfons. 'Vhis /joorah v/as completelv free froi-»i