i t5f
' 7%- this I prefented to him, with an upper garment of broad-
>-— — > doth, made after the country fafhion, and trimmed with
tape, to which I alfo added a ihirt: he received them with
great datisfaction, and immediately put on the garment; but
the fhirt he gave to the perfon who had cleared the way for
us upon our landing, who was now feated by us, and of
whom he feemed defirous that we fhould take particular
notice. In a fhort time, Oberea, and feveral other women
whom we knew, came and fat down among u s : Tootahah
left us feveral times, but after a fhort abfencc returned; we
thought it had been to fhow himfelf in his new finery to the
people, but we wronged him, for k was to give directions for
©ur refrefhment and entertainment. While we were waiting
for his return the laft. time he left us, very impatient to be
difmifled, as we were almoft fuffocated in the croud, word
was brought us, that he expected us elfewhere: We found
him fitting under the awning of our own boat, and making
figns that we fhould come to him : as many of us therefore
went on board as the boat would hold, and he then ordered
bread-fruit and cocoa-nuts to be brought, of both which we
tailed, rather to gratify him than becaufe we had a defire to
eat. A meflage was foon after brought him, upon which
he went out o f the boat, and we were in a fhort time dcfircd
to follow. We were conducted to a large area or court-yard,
which was railed round, with bamboos about three feet high,
on one fide of his houfe, where an entertainment was pro--
vided for us, entirely n ew : this was a wreftling match. At
the upper end of the area fat the Chief, and feveral of hi?
principal men were ranged on each fide of him, fo as to form
a femicircle; thefe were the judges, by whom the victor was
to be applauded;, feats were alfo left for us at each end of
the line; but we chofe rather to be at liberty among the reft
of the fpeClators.
i When
When all was ready, ten or twelve perfons, whom we uri-
derftood to be the .combatants,, and who were naked, except
a cloth that was fattened about the waift, entered the area,
and walked flowly round it, in a Hooping poflure, with their
left hands on their right breafts, and their right hands open,
with which they frequently {truck the left fore-arm fo as to
produce a quick fmart found: this was a general challenge
to the combatants whom they were to engage, or any other
perfon prefent: after thefe followed others in the feme manner,
and then a particular challenge was given, by which
each man fingled out his antagonift: this was done by joining
thé finger ends of both hands, and bringing them to the
breaft, at the feme time moving the elbows up and down
with a quick motion: if the perfon to whom this was ad-
drefièd accepted the challenge, he repeated the figns, and immediately
each put himfelf into an attitude to engage: the
next minute they clofed ; but, except in firft feizing each
other, it was a mere contell of ftrength : each endeavoured
to lay hold of the other, firft by the thigh, and if that failed
by the hand, the hair, the cloth, or elfewhere as he could:
when this was done they grappled, without the leaft dexterity
or {kill, till one of them, by having a more advantageous
hold, or greater mufcular force, threw the other on
his back. When the conteft was over, the old men gave their
plaudit to the viélor in a few words, which they repeated
. together in a kind of tune : his conqueft was alfo generally
celebrated by three huzzas. The entertainment was then
fufpended for a few minutes, after which another couple of
wreftlers came forward and engaged in the feme manner:
if it happened that neither was thrown, after the contell had
continued about a minute, they parted, either by confent or
the intervention o f their friends, and in this cafe each flapped
his arm,, as a challenge to a new engagement, either with
the
1769.
May.
Friday 5.