^793- fame .inftant; three he caught as they were flying, with one hand, two
_____; he broke by parrying them with his fpear in the other, and the fixth, by
a.trifling inclination of his body, pafled harmlefs.
This part of the combat was intended to reprefent the king as having
been fuddenly difcovered by the enemy, in a fituation where he was leaft
expefted to be found ; and the Ihower o f darts that were inftantly direfted
to that quarter, were intended to {hew that he was in the moft imminent
danger; until advancing a few paces,, with the whole body of his army
more clofely connefted, and throwing, their fpears with their utmoft exertion,
he caufed the enemy to fall back in fome little confufion, and
he himfelf . rejoined our party without having received the leaf!
injury.
The confequences attendant on the firft man being killed, or being-,
fo wounded as to fall bn the difputed ground between the contending;
armies, were next exhibited,
This event caufes the lofs o f many lives and much blood, in the conflict
that takes place in order to refcue the unfortunate individual, who, if carried
off by the adverfe party dead or alive, becomes an immediate facrifice at
the moral. On this occafion the wounded man was fuppofed. to be one
of Titeerees foldiers, and until this happened, no advantage appeared on
either fide ; but now the difpute became very ferious, was well fupported
on all fides, and viftorv {till feemed to hold a level fcale, until at length
the fuppofed armies of Taio and Titeeree fell back, whilft that o f Tamaah-
maak carried off in triumph feveral fuppofed dead bodies, dragging the-
poor fellows, (who already had been much trampled upon) by the heels,
fome diftance through a light loofe land ; and who, notwithftanding that
their eyes, ears, mouth, and noftrils were by this means filled, were no
fooner permitted to ufe their legs, than they ran into the Tea, walhed
themfelves, and appeared as happy and as cheerful as if nothing had
happened.
In this riot-like engagement, for it could not poflibly be cdnfidered
any thing better, the principal chiefs were confidered to bear, no p a r t;
and on its being thus concluded, each party fat quietly down on the
ground, and a parly, or fome other fort of converfation took place.
2 The
The chiefs were now fuppofed to have arrived at the theatre of war, ‘ 793-
i i - i . March.
which had hitherto„ been carried on by the common people only o f » — —
both parties ; a very ufual mode' of proceeding, I underftood, among
thefe iflanders. They now on both fides came forward, guarded by a
number of men armed with fpears o f great length, called pallaloos.
Thefe weapons are never relinquifhed but by death, or captivity ; the
former is the moft common. They are not barbed, but reduced to
a fmall point, and though not very lharp, yet are capable of giving
deep and mortal wounds by the force, and manner with which they are
ufed. The mifiive fpears are all barbed about fix inches from the point,
and are generally from feven to eight feet long.
The warriors who were armed with the paUaloos, now advanced with a
confiderable degree of order, and a fcene of very different exploits commenced
; prefenting, in comparifop to what before had been exhibited,
a wonderful degree of improved knowledge in military evolutions. This
body of men, compofing feveral ranks, formed in clofe and regular order,
conftituted a firm and compaft phalanx, which in a&ual fervice, I
was informed, was not eafily to be broken. Having reached the fpot
in conteft, they fat down on the ground about thirty yards afunder, and
pointed their paUaloos at each other. After a fhort interval o f filence,
a converfation commenced, and Taio was fuppofed to ftate his opinion
refpefling peace and war. The arguments feemed to be urged and fup-
ported with equal energy on both fides.. When peace under certain fti-
pulations was propofed, the paUaloos were inclined towards the ground’,
and when war was announced, their points were raifed to a certain degree
of elevation. - Both parties put on the appearance of being much
upon their guard, and to watch each other with a jealous-eye, whilft this
négociation was going forward ; which, however, not terminating amicably,
their refpeftive claims remained to be decided by the fate of a
battle. Nearly at the fame inftant of time they all arofe, and, in clofe
columns, met each other by flow advances. This movement they conduced
with much order and regularity, frequently fhifting their ground,
and guarding with great circumfpeftion againft the -various advantages
of their opponents ; whilft the inferior bands were fuppofed to be en-
V o l . II. . X _ gaged