The World Displayed, Or, a Collection of Voyages and Travels (Volume 10)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1815. Excerpt: ... ally advancing and retreating with one foot, while the other remained fixed. After this they turned their faces to the assembly, and having sung some time, retreated slowly in a body. Much variety of figure and motion was displayed. A dance of men then succeeded; sometimes they sung slowly in concert with the chorus, making several graceful motions with their hands, but differing from those of the women, at the same time inclining the body alternately on either side, by raising one leg outward, and resting on the other, the arm of the same side being also stretched upward. Then they recited sentences, which were answered by the chorus; and occasionally encreased the measure of the dance by clapping the hands, and quickening the motions of the feet. Towards the conclusion, the rapidity of the music and dancing so much increased, that the movements were hard to be distinguished. When the ships were about to leave the islands known by the general name of Hapaee, a large sailing canoe came under the stern of the Resolution, in which was a person named Futtafaihe or Poulaho, or both, whom the natives said was kingof Tongataboo, and of all the neighbouring islands; and they owned for the first time, that Feenou was not the king, but only a chief of a great power. As it was no concern of captain Cook, to decide upon the claims to the sovereignty of Tongataboo, he received this new king with equal attentions as those shown to the former. If weight of body, says he, could confer rank and power, he was certainly the most eminent man in that respect that had been yet seen; for, though not very tall, he was very unwieldy, and almost shapeless with corpulence. He seemed to be about forty years of age, had straight hair, and his features differed a good deal from those of the bulk of his peop...