The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World, Vol. III. Being the First of the Second VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World, Vol. III. Being the First of the Second Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
Early in the morning of the 27th, Oreo, his wife, son, daughter, and
several more of his friends, made us a visit and brought with them a
good quantity of all manner of refreshments; little having as yet been
got from any body else. They staid dinner; after which a party of us
accompanied them on shore, where we were entertained with a play, called
_Mididdij Harramy_, which signifies the _Child is coming_. It concluded
with the representation of a woman in labour, acted by a set of great
brawny fellows, one of whom at last brought forth a strapping boy, about
six feet high, who ran about the stage, dragging after him a large wisp
of straw which hung by a string from his middle. I had an opportunity of
seeing this acted another time, when I observed, that the moment they
had got hold of the fellow who represented the child, they flattened or
pressed his nose. From this I judged, that they do so by their children
when born, which may be the reason why all in general have flat noses.
This part of the play, from its newness, and the ludicrous manner in
which it was performed, gave us, the first time we saw it, some
entertainment, and caused a loud laugh, which might be the reason why
they acted it so often afterwards. But this, like all their other
pieces, could entertain us no more than once; especially as we could
gather little from them, for want of knowing more of their language.
The 28th was spent by me in much the same manner as the preceding day,
viz. in entertaining my friends, and being entertained by them. Mr.
Forster and his party in the country botanizing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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