, 1876-01-09
TIE HULA-I4ULA.
A Dancing Scene In the Sandwich
Islands,

Hauasf Correspondents San Ftanetsco cnronf.k
We enter small room, perhaps II by 1G fcst
in snail house standing about 100 yarGla back
from the street. There was one window and one
door in tho room, and this ceiling Was open to
the not very lofty roof,-one room seeming to
be atl there WAS in tho house. Some mats we're
s21ead on On the floor, ana along enc side were
beds. He sat down on tho pu!n pillows A. tho
head OF them, the bods being on the floor
Presently an old man, accompanied by
couple OF young women, came Ia with
IN old leather eoug, which he commenced to
oeat fuEiou5lY on one end Is he sat down on tho
floor. The women came in one altar the other
singing and moving in time With their arms ex-
tonded. On their heads were wreaths Of flowers
Their feot we're bare, and they wora soma kind
q tiokllng ornaments around their ankles.
Their shirts came nearly down to their feet, and
around their waists they woro come Kind OF =
fancy ororskirt, made Of coarse grasses, and fall
Ing from the waist below the hips. Their bodies
"efe robed to the neck. and aftor they entered
the door was closed aud also the window, the
hal1 hs*n being in violation Of the law and the
tsausszessor subject to fno, il not imprison-
ment. Aside from the two women there were
six men IN the room, and the two performers,
though apparently ahashed at first in
tho presence Of so many strangers, soon
became self-possas assed. and went to work
With will. The dance consisted In kind Of
Hlip-ehod movement Of the feet in tune with the
drum-beat,ng. while the singers smiled svoctly,
and kept thrusting their arms out in harmony
With the music and their feet, as they went
through every imaginable sort Of gyration with
their bodies. They did not turn round, or novo
from the position they first assumed. only sufti-
c'ently tor the full sway Of their bodies back and
forth. Their hips and limbs seemed without
joints. or all joints, and they could bend and
twist themselves IA one would suppose nothing
hura piece ct jell, or India-rnbber could be
nnds to work. But they thus won't on for
Several minutes with the most violent ex-
ercise, smiling, singing, and uancing till the
peEnpiratlon rolled or their faces in torrents,
and they became 60 excited at length
that We insisted that they should raat, though
they vowed they were not tired, aud could 70 On
that way all night At length tho. excltement
produced BY the violence Of rho exercise began
to have its legitimate effec. upon the two beau-
tles,-for they were two OF the most beautiful Of
their se1. though copper-coored kauakas,-and
they wera evidently becoming careless OF their
conduct, which they assured Us, however, WAS
part Of the performance. And as soon as they
began to disroba their persons from the neck and
breast downward, the natural modesty of your
correspondent compelled him to Beizo his hat
and rush through the door ont into tbs open air,
and hs WAS speedily followed pcIl-uaeu bY ali
his companions. We were afterwards told the
two fair creatures thought our bringing M had
baen neglected, and that most white men en-
1o;sd the 1sttat part OF the performance better
than the frat.