We had a great quantity of fish brought on board in the afternoon of this day, and three pounds and a half were served to each man of the ship’s company.

On the 7th, in the afternoon, Mr. Banks and myself went to see an entertainment called an Heivo. We passed over four bays E. and were carried, by the natives, till we came to the bottom of a bay called Tapeeoee, where a number of people was assembled. A large mat was laid upon the ground, and they began to dance upon it, putting their bodies into strange motions, writhing their mouths, and shaking their tails, which made the numerous plaits that hung about them flutter like a peacock’s train. Sometimes they stood in a row one behind another, and then they fell down with their faces to the ground, leaning on their arms, and shaking only their tails, the drums beating all the while, with which they kept exact time. An old man stood by as a prompter, and roared out as loud as he could at every change. These motions they continued till they were all in a sweat; they repeated them three times alternately, and, after they had done, the girls began. In the interval, between the several parts of the drama, some men came forward, who seemed to act the part of drolls; and, by what I could distinguish, they attempted to represent the Conquest of Yoolee-etea, by the men of Bolobola; in which they exhibited the various stratagems used in the conquest, and were very vociferous, performing all in time to the drum. In the last scene, the actions of the men were very lascivious.

The people, in the part where this farce was performed, are chiefly Bolobola men, and they seem to be settled in the best part of the island, the low land being wider here than in any other part near the harbour. On this coast there are many spits and shoals, formed of coral rocks; and, on the reef, the surf breaks very high, and makes a noise as loud as thunder. There are some plantations of pepper in this part of the island.

Voyaging Accounts