They threw their bodies from side to side in a most remarkably awkward fashion, but always moving the head forwards in a straight line.

The women then joined in, remaining, however, at some little distance in the rear of the men, and making the same awkward movements.

They now began a most horrible noise, which was intended for a song, at the same time distorting their features in a frightful manner.

One of them stood near, playing upon a kind of stringed instrument, made out of the stem of a cabbage-palm, and about two feet, or two feet and a half, in length.

A hole was cut in it in a slanting direction, and six fibres of the stem had been raised up, and kept in an elevated position at each end, by means of a small bridge.