OF THE TONGA PEOPLE.

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“ fore them with great force and quickness;“ but so skilfully managed, that, though stand-“ ing quite close, they never interfered. They“ shifted their clubs from hand to hand with“ great dexterity; and, after continuing a little“ time, kneeled, and made different motions,“ tossing the clubs up in the air, which they“ caught as they fell ; and then went off as“ hastily as they entered. Their heads were“ covered with pieces of white cloth, tied at“ the crown (almost like a night-cap) with a“wreath of foliage round the forehead; but“ they had only very small pieces of white“ cloth tied about the waists; probably that“ they might be cool, and free from every in*“ cumbrance or weight*. A person with a“ spear, dressed like the former, then came in,“ and in the same hasty manner; looking about“ eagerly, as if in search of somebody to throw

it at. He then ran hastily to one side of the“ crowd in the front, and put himself in a“ threatening attitude, as if he meant to strike“ with his spear at one of them, bending the

* This exhibition with the clubs, as well as the followingone with a spear, are practices of Hamoa (the Navigator’sIslands), at which the natives of that place are said to bevery expert: they are occasionally adopted at Tonga by wayof interludes, but they do not form an essential part of theabove performance: the particular dress which these per-formers had on was the war dress of the Hamoa Islands.

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