s, panting for breath. One of the chiefs then took an old
broken dragoon-sword, and began running to and fro before us,
flourishing it, and, at the same time, delivering a speech at the top of
his voice. The speech, as interpreted to me, ran thus: "You are welcome,
you are our friends, and we are glad to see you," frequently repeated.
After three or four had shewn off in this way, they determined they must
have something to eat, saying that I had promised them rice and sugar,
and they ought to have it. Mr. Clendon, however, persuaded them to give
one of their feast-dances. The performers consisted of about fifteen
old, and as many young persons, whom they arranged in close order. The
young girls laid aside a part of their dress to exhibit their forms to
more advantage, and they commenced a kind of recitative, accompanied by
all manner of gesticulations, with a sort of guttural husk for a chorus.
It was not necessary to understand their language to comprehend their
meaning; and it is unnecessary to add, that their tastes did not appear
very refined, but were similar to what we have constantly observed among
the heathen nations of Polynesia. Their impatience now became
ungovernable; and hearing that the rice and sugar were being served out,
they retreated precipitately down the hill, where they all set to most
heartily, with their wives and children, to devour the food. This, to
me, was the most entertaining part of the exhibition. They did not
appear selfish towards each other; the children were taken care of, and
all seemed to enjoy themselves. I received many thanks in passing among
them, and their countenances betokened contentment. Although they were
clothed for the occasion in their best, they exhibited but a squalid and
dirty appearance, both in their dress and persons.

* * * * *

We now end our extracts from this very entertaining Work,--upon the
resources of which we have so largely drawn,--by the history of Paddy
Connel, as described by himself, and who had been a resident among the
Feejeean savages for nearly forty years.

HISTORY OF PADDY CONNEL.

One day, while at the Observatory, I was greatly surprised at seeing one
whom I took to be a Feejeeman, enter my tent, a circumstance so
inconsistent with the respect to our prescribed limit, of which I have
spoken. His colour, however, struck me as lighter than that of any
native I had yet seen. He was a short wrinkled old