II lip I O f
IlSIIll ■
>777- hitherto done fo r us. T h e next day, all the royal fam ily
-came with prefentsj fo that our wants were not only relieved,
Saturday 20. bm had more pr0vif10Ils than we could confume.
Having got all our water on board, the ihips b e in g caulked,
the r ig g in g overhauled, and every thing puc in order, I began
to think o f leaving the ifland, that I might have fufficient
time to fpare fo r vifiting the-others in this neighbourhood.
With this view, we removed from the fliore our obferva-
tories, and inftruments, and bent the fails. Early the next
Sunday 21 mornin g , Otoo came on board to acquaint me, that all the
w a r canoes o f Matavai, and o f three other diftrifts adjoinin
g, were go in g to Oparre, to join thofe belonging to that
part o f the ifland ; and that* there wou ld be a general re view
there. Soon after, the fquadron o f Matavat was all
in mo tion; and, after parading a while about the bay, af-
fembled aihore, near the middle o f it. I now went in
in y boat to take a v iew o f them.
O f thofe with ftages, on which they fight, or w hat they
call their war canoes, there were about fixty ; with near as
m an y more o f a fmaller fize. I was ready to have attended
them to Oparre; but, foon a fte r ,.a refohmon was taken
b y the Chiefs, that they ihonld not move till the mext day.
I looked upon 'this to be a fortunate delay, as it afforded me
a g o o d opportunity to ge t fome infight into their manner
o f fighting. With this view, I expreffed my wifti to Otoo,
that he would order fome o f them to go through the ne-
ceffary manoeuvres. Tw o were, accordingly, ordered out
into the b a y ; in one o f which, Otoo, Mr. K in g, and myfel-f
embarked ; and Omai went on board the other. When we
had got fufficient fea-room, w e faced, and advanced upon
each other, and retreated by turns, as q u ick as our rowers
could paddle. During this, the warriors on the
3
rilhed their weapons, and played a hundred antic tricks, '777-
w hich could anfwer no other end, in my judgment, than to $cptember'.
w ork up their paflions, and prepare them for fighting.
Otoo flood b y the fide o f our ftage, and gave the neceffary
orders, when to advance, and, when to retreat. In this,
great judgment, and a q u ick eye, combined together, feemed
requifite, to fe ize every advantage that migh t offer, and to
avoid g iv in g any advantage to the adverfary. At laft, after
advancing and retreating to and from e a ch other, at Ieaft a
dozen o f times, the two canoes clofed, head to head, or
ftage to ftage ; and, after a iliort conflict, the troops on our
ftage were fuppofed to be all killed, and we were boarded
b y Omai and his affociates. At that very inftant, Otoo, and
all our paddlers leaped over-board, as i f reduced to the ne-
ceflity o f endeavouring to fave their lives b y fwimming.
I f Omai s information is to be depended upon, their naval
engagements are not always conducted in this manner. He
told me, that they fometimes begin with la fliin g the two
veffels together, head to head, and then fight till a ll thé
warriors are killed, on one fide or the other. But this clofe
combat, I apprehend, is never praitifed, but when they are
determined to conquer or die. Indeed, one or the other
muft happen ; for all agree, that they never giv e quarter,
unlefs it be to referve their prifoners for a more cruel death
the next day.
T h e power and ftrength o f thefe iflands lie entirely in
their navies. I never heard o f a general engagement on
land ; and all their decifive battles are -fought on the water.
I f the time and place o f conflift are fixed upon b y both
parties, the preceding day and night are fpent in diverfions
and feafting. T owa rd morning, they launch the canoes,
put every thin g in order, and, w ith the day, begin the
C § battle ;