The four girls now left the house, going toward the canopy of flowers.
As they drew near, a murmur of gay voices greeted their ears, a scene of
dream-like beauty met their eyes. The rich and varied color of the
foliage; the fringed heads of the cocoanuts waving like vast plumes
against the sky; the bronzed red of the mangoes hung in luxuriant plenty
on hundreds of trees; locust trees showering their fragrant white
blossoms all around; the delicate accasia trembling in each breath of
air in a thousand feathery masses; the date palm with its pendant shower
of fruit; the lou-hale, whose slender spear-like foliage and bright,
orange colored fruit lends it a subtle charm; the ohia lifting high its
mass of crimson ponpons, all growing in tropical profusion; the ia-ia
whose flame colored tufts of bloom seemed to spring from every tree as
its parasitic arms spread in all directions; the perfume of flowers was
wafted like incense to the god of love on the warm breeze that came
softly over the summer sea, whose wavelets touched by the sun, shone
like bright silver, and the soft curves of creamy breakers could be seen
through this long vista of everlasting green.
Already the inhabitants had gathered at the place of festivity, for it
was now after the hour of rest; music, sweet, rythmic and weird, arose
from tom toms, gourds and a sort of musical rattle accompanied by a
hundred girlish voices. Mabel and Etta stood entranced by the charm of
it all.
Captain Gray and Allen, together with Captain Thornton, or Alii Mahina
(moon chief, as he was called by the people of the island), also Ahleka,
were already seated on a large mat, watching the gay scene. Allen had a
leis of ginger flowers bound around his head, also one about his neck.
It looked oddly enough to see these white men and girls dressed in the
costume of this strange people. The girls found places on the mat beside
Captain Gray, and, when they had been seated about five minutes, there
arose a wild shout of joy from hundreds of lips that sung a song of
triumph and love. The tom toms and gourds were beaten wildly by the
palms of the hands, of a score of players who were arranged a little way
off on each side of the avenue or lanai, as it was called. As the weird
strains increased young men bounded with joyous leaps toward the lanai
where they arranged themselves on one of the lines of mats. They were
closely followed by the maidens who quickly placed themselves on the
line opposite.
The young girls were a vision of grace and beauty, the armlets and
necklaces of white shells and bright corals making a lovely contrast to
their rounded arms and shapely throats, glistening like bronze, their
faces aglow with animation and delight, their lithe limbs, firm, rounded
and supple, their every movement grace. The ceremonies began by the
young men showing their strength and agility, by throwing high in the
air the heavy spears they carried and catching them as they descended.
After these feats of prowess had been completed, amidst the wildest
excitement, there came a strange stillness over all the participants and
on-lookers, but in a moment the strains of music, played in softest
tones, seemed to descend from the very heavens, so sweet was it.
One after another the maidens joined their fresh voices to the strain
until it seemed to fill ones very soul with ecstasy. The chant grew
louder and the girls began to beat the air gently, with long feather
wands, which they carried in their hands; soon their bodies began to
sway in an undulating motion, keeping time to the chant. Then, waving
their hands above their heads, they would advance toward the young men
and then retrace their steps, each girlish form meanwhile waving to and
fro like a young tree bent in the wind. The music grew faster and more
intense, the girls no longer sang; a languorous expression filled their
eyes which spoke only of love. A voluptuous smile was on each lip, the
hips moving gently to and fro, with a peculiar motion, set every little
fringe of grass in their short skirts to quivering. Now and then some
quicker movement would float the light skirts high in the air, revealing
to the rapt eyes of the beholders glimpses of rounded limbs above the
knee. The wands were now placed on the mats, unbinding from about their
waist’s the strips of cloth, and; holding it in both hands, they
continued the dance, waving the scarfs of bright-hued cloth, first high
above their heads, then passing it beneath their feet, keeping up that
peculiar serpent-like motion, swaying, twisting and twirling in a
hundred ways. When this dance was finished the girls took up their wands
and each one advancing toward the line of young men, touching lightly
the young man of her choice. Maula being the maiden of highest rank was
the first to advance, with unbound waist, carrying her scarf on her arm.
She touched Allen softly with her wand, looking at him with loving eyes
the while. He stepped forward as one bound by some strange sweet spell.
She quickly bound about his loins the strip of bright yellow cloth that
had lately encircled her own waist, in token that he now belonged to
her, and as a warning to other maidens to choose elsewhere. He also tied
on her arm, high above the elbow, a band of woven sea grass, on which
was strung two small conch shells in token that she was his. This, with
the unbound waist, being the distinguishing mark of the unmarried woman.
Maula was followed in quick succession by other maidens.
“My love, my own, let us not stay until all have chosen,” whispered
Maula, “let us go together to the sea shore where none may hear our
words of love.” Allen moved as one in a dream, so strong was her charm
for him. She held out her warm arms to him and he was soon held to her
so closely that he could feel her heart beats. Her ecstasy was shared in
by him, and, twining his arms about her, answered, “Yes, my queen, let
us go,” saying which, the pair disappeared down the long vista of
flowers and waving trees.
An hour later the tom toms were again heard, this time calling all to
the feast. The maidens and the young men of their choice, took their
seats on the soft mats which were placed in the centre piece of the
letter H, the older ones of the company sitting at the sides.
It was now evening and the banquet was lit by means of kui-kui, or
candle nuts, strung on cords of braided sea-weed and hanging from tree
to tree, being lighted at the top and burning with a blue light; the
thousands of these little lamps made it seem like fairyland. The feast
lasted long and high ran the merriment of these happy children of nature
on this isle of the blest. Presently the moon arose, bathing the scene
in a flood of silvery light, making it, if possible, still more
bewitching. After supper dancing was resumed and lasted far into the
morning.