gaged on each wing with fpears and flings. The fuccefs of the conteft,
however, feemed to depend intirely on thofe with the pallaloos, who
firmly difputed every inch o f the ground, by parrying each others
lunges with the greateft dexterity, until fome to the left of Titeeree’s
center fell. This greatly encouraged Tamaahmaah’s party, who, milling
forward with lhouts and great impetuolity, broke the ranks o f
their opponents, and viftory was declared for the arms o f Owhyhee,
by the fuppofed death of feveral of the enemy ; thefe at length retreated
; and on being more clofely preffed, the war was. decided by the fuppofed
death o f Titeeree and Taw ; and thofe who had the honor of perfo-
nating thefe chiefs, were, like thofe before, dragged in triumph by the
heels over nofmall extent of loofe fandy beach, to be prefented to the
victorious Tamaahmaah, and for the fuppofed purpofe of being facrificed
at his morai. Thefe poor fellows, like thofe before mentioned, bore their
treatment with the greateft good humour.
The firft exhibition appeared to be extremely rude, diforderly, and
ineffectual, though much dexterity was certainly fhewn; but from the
manner in which the pallaloos were managed, it would feem that they are
capable of fuftaining a very heavy affault.
Thefe military exploits finilhed towards fun-fet, and as foon as it was
dark we entertained the king and a large concourfe of his people with a
difplay of fire works. Tamaahmaah and fome of the chiefs recolleCted
to have feen a few indifferent ones, that were fired by Captain Cook on
his being vifited by Terreeoboo ; but ours, being in higher prefervation,
o f greater variety, and in a larger quantity, were viewed by the feveral
chiefs, who were the only perfons admitted within our tabooed precinfts,
with the greateft mixture of fear, furprize, and admiration ; and by the
repeated burfts of acclamation from the numerous body of the inhabitants
aflembled on the occafion, it was hard to determine which of thefe
paflions moft generally preponderated.
The following morning Kavahero, the chief of Kowrooa, who was of
our party the preceding evening, informed me, that on his return home,
the inhabitants of that village at firft confidered what they beheld as a di-
verfion only, but from the time itfailed, and the continual clamour that
l . - they
they had heard, they had become very much alarmed, and fufpefled
that fome mifunderftanding had taken place between us and Tamaahmaah;
and that we were deftroying him, with all his people and houfes,
on this fide of the country. The fame opinion had prevailed with
moft of the women who were on board the veflels, and who were not
eafily perfuaded to believe otherways..
Thefe intimations afforded me an opportunity which I did not fuffer to
efcape, to imprefs on their minds the very great fuperiority we poffefled,
fhould we ever be obliged to aft towards them as enemies. The Iky and
water ■ rockets, balloons, hand grenades, &c. &c. I reprefented to be
like guns fired without fhot, when defigned for entertainment; but
like them capable o f being rendered formidable and deftruftive weapons,
when occafion might require. O f this they feemed to entertain; no
doubt, and were anxious beyond meafure to be provided with a few,
for their protection againft Taio and Titeeree. On this fubjeft the
king was fo exeeflively prelfing, that I was induced to indulge him by
complying with his. requeft. I gave to the charge of Young, who with
his comrade.Davis had fo condufted themfelves as to be intitled to our
confidence, a dozen Iky rockets, and half that number, of effeftive
hand grenades, for the foie purpofe o f Tamaahmaah’s protection, and
with the ftrifteft injunctions, .that they fhould never he ufed but- with
this defign. I likewife exhorted them' on no pretence to attend Tamaahmaah,
or aflift him, in any ambitious fchemes for the conqueft of the
neighbouring iflands; but. to fupport him to the utmoft of their power,
not only in the defence of his ifland againft foreign invafion, but in maintaining
his authority againft domeftic infurreftion.
I had embraced every opportunity, and'had met with no little difficulty
to convince Tamaahmaah, and the. chiefs who had been; our con-
ftant vifitors, that a peaceable mode o f life was infinitely to be preferred,
and more conducive to their real happinefs, than the. continued ftate
of. warfare that had fo long difgraced their iflands; without any other
motive that could be urged as an excufe for defpoiling each other’s lands,
or deftroying their fellow creatures, than a wild and inordinate am-
X a bition,