these people
amuse themselves in their private _heevas_. About an hundred of them
were found sitting in a house; and in the midst of them were two
women, with an old man behind each of them beating very gently upon
a drum; and the women at intervals singing in a softer manner than I
ever heard at their other diversions. The assembly listened with great
attention; and were seemingly almost absorbed in the pleasure the
music gave them; for few took any notice of us, and the performers
never once stopped. It was almost dark before we reached Otoo's house,
where we were entertained with one of their public _heevas_, or plays,
in which his three sisters appeared as the principal characters. This
was what they call a _heeva raae_, which is of such a nature, that
nobody is to enter the house or area where it is exhibited. When
the royal sisters are the performers, this is always the case. Their
dress, on this occasion, was truly picturesque and elegant; and they
acquitted themselves, in their parts, in a very distinguished manner;
though some comic interludes, performed by four men seemed to yield
greater pleasure to the audience, which was numerous. The next morning
we proceeded to Matavai, leaving Otoo at Oparre; but his mother,
sisters, and several other women attended me on board, and Otoo
himself followed soon after.

While Otoo and I were absent from the ships, they had been but
sparingly supplied with fruit, and had few visitors. After our return,
we again overflowed with provisions and with company.

On the 4th, a party of us dined ashore with Omai, who gave excellent
fare, consisting of fish, fowls, pork, and puddings. After dinner, I
attended Otoo, who had been one of the party, back to his house, where
I found all his servants very busy getting a quantity of provisions
ready for me. Amongst other articles, there was a large hog, which
they killed in my presence. The entrails were divided into eleven
portions, in such a manner that each of them contained a bit of every
thing. These portions were distributed to the servants, and some
dressed theirs in the same oven with the hog, while others carried
off, undressed, what had come to their share. There was also a large
pudding, the whole process in making which, I saw. It was composed
of bread-fruit, ripe plantains, taro, and palm or pandanus nuts, each
rasped, scraped, or beat up fine, and baked by itself. A quantity of
juice, expressed from cocoa-nut kernels, was pu