sing in concert with the music of bamboo drums,
which were placed in the centre.[165] There were three long ones, and
two short. With these they struck the ground endwise, as before
described. There were two others, which lay on the ground, side by side,
and one of them was split or shivered; on these a man kept beating with
two small sticks. They sung three songs while I stayed; and, I was told,
that, after I left them, the entertainment lasted till ten o'clock. They
burnt the leaves of the _wharra_ palm for a light; which is the only
thing I ever saw them make use of for this purpose.

[Footnote 165: The same sort of evening concert is performed round the
house of the chief, or _Tamole_, at the Caroline Islands. "Le _Tamole_
ne s'endort qu'au bruit d'un concert de musique que forme une troupe de
jeunes gens, qui s'assemblent le soir, autour de sa maison, et qui
chantent, a leur maniere, certaines poesies."--_Lettres Edifiantes &
Curieuses_, tom, xv. p. 314.--D.]

While I was passing the day in attendance on these great men, Mr
Anderson, with some others, made an excursion into the country, which
furnished him with the following remarks: "To the westward of the tent,
the country is totally uncultivated for near two miles, though quite
covered with trees and bushes, in a natural state, growing with the
greatest vigour. Beyond this is a pretty large plain, on which are some
cocoa-trees, and a few small plantations that appear to have been lately
made; and, seemingly, on ground that has never been cultivated before.
Near the creek, which runs to the westward of the tent, the land is
quite flat, and partly overflowed by the sea every tide. When that
retires, the surface is seen to be composed of coral rock, with holes of
yellowish mud scattered up and down; and toward the edges, where it is a
little firmer, are innumerable little openings, from which issue as many
small crabs, of two or three different sorts, which swarm upon the spot,
as flies upon a carcase; but are so nimble, that, on being approached,
they disappear in an instant, and baffle even the natives to catch any
of them.

At this place is a work of art, which shews that these people are
capable of some design, and perseverance, when they mean to accomplish
any thing. This work begins, on one side, as a narrow causeway, which,
becoming gradually broader, rises, with a gentle ascent, to the height
of ten feet, where it is five paces broad, and the whole length