J78S. a fon, -but fto wife. ^WhOwashis fetherahd mother? Wis
»fovEMBBR. next qxteftion. I faid, he never had father or mother^;
at this they laughed exceedingly::* -Vouhave a God then
who never had a father-of mother, and; has a child without
a wife ! Many other queftions were alked, which--my'
littte'kriöwledgo of the language did not enable me to Mti~-
fweri ;:
The weather was now fine again, and a-great numher-of .
people were come from other parts'of the ifland. -Tanah
• informed me that there was to be a beiva andawTeftling—
match on -ihore, and thai#he performers waited fbrSJÖr attendance
; we therefore fét ófïj with fevcral o f our friendly
and, about a quarter of a mile from the tehts, we found'a
great concourfe o f people formed into a ring:-A-s foón a's-we
Were feared, a dancing heiva began, which Was perförhi--
ed bytwo girls and four men : thisd&fted half an. hour,
and confïfted of wanton geftures and motions, fïich Éi;h a Vént
heensdefcribed in the account of former vo-^agës. 'When
the dance ended, Tinah ordarèds a tóng-piece öf^lbth to he
"brought; -his wife .Iddeah, and Myrelfy- Wtere defiredcto:
hold the two :firft corners, and; the remaining part; bêihg-
fupported by many others, we carried it to the perfornief s,
and gave it the'm. - -Several other ch'ièfs made ajlikê pre-
fent or payment. The performers were ftrollers, that tri-^
veiled about the country as in Europe. '
After this, the wreffling began, and the place fOOn became
a1 fcerie-of-riot and confufion. A party o f <the’ Ar~
reoys alfo-began to eXercifê a privilege, which i f ' fèems
they are* allowed, o f taking from the women futh Öf their'
clothes 1 as they thought Worth it; fo th a tfbtüé of them'
were left little better than naked. One yoiftig woman, who
was attacked, oppofed them with all her ftrengtb, and held
* faft
faft her cloth, though they almoft dragged her along the 178a.
ground. Obferving that l took notice o f her, fhe held out
her hand, and begged my afliftance; and at my requeft fhe
efcaped being pillaged. »
- -Soon after, a ring was again made, but the wreftlers were
famqm#foua within it**,that it was impoffible to reftore
order. In the challenges, they lay one hand upon their
breaft, and;Qn_ the bending of the arm a t the: elbowy with'
the other hand, they ftfike a very fmaitblow, which, as the
hand is kept hollow; creates-a found that may be heard at
a cqnfiderable diftange; .and this*they da fo'frequently, and‘
with fuch force,-that the fleih becomes exceedihgly hruif-^
edy.and, the fkin breaking, bleeds confiderably. At tfai$
time, thq youn^Whi'ilQ many refembled that o f a number
o f people in a wood- felling- trees* This'is.'the'funeral*
challenge,;-but when any two combatants agree to a trial,
they prefent their 'hands forward, joining them only by
the .extremities/of the.fingers., They-begin by watching to
take an advantage-; at-length .they Clofe, feize - each- other
by,the-hair, and-are moft commonly parted before either
receives a, fall. Only one couple .performed any thing' like
the, part.:?nf good wteftlersy and, ass they.were an equal
match, this conflict lafted- longer than any of the others;
but tliey.alfa were parted.
Iddeah. was the generalumpire, and Ihe managed with
fo much addrefs as «{prevent any quarrelling, and there
was no murmuring at her dediions. ; As her perfoa w#> -
large, fhe was very confpicuous in the. circle. Tinah took
no part in the management. Upon the whole, this performance
gave me a better opinion of their ftrength than
of their Ikijl or dexterity. *
Tor fome time paft,Tinah had talked of going, to the Tuefday m
K ifland