NATIVE MODE OF COMBAT.

The combats, one of which was now about to take place, much resemble the
ancient tournaments. They are conducted with perfect fairness. The
combatants fight in an open space, their friends all standing by to see
fair play, and all the preliminaries as to what blows are to be
considered foul or fair are arranged beforehand, sometimes with much
ceremony.

Taking into account the fantastic ornaments and paintings of the natives,
the graceful attitudes they throw themselves into either when trying to
avoid the spears of their enemy, or about to throw their own; and the
loud cries and wild motions with which they attempt to confuse and
terrify their adversaries, I must confess that if any exhibition of this
nature can be considered showy or attractive, this has no ordinary claims
to admiration.

NATIVE DUEL. REVENGEFUL COMBAT AND MURDER PREVENTED.

I am however not fond of shows in which the safety of my fellow-creatures
is concerned, and on the present occasion was very anxious that nothing
of the kind should take place; for before I could induce Jenna to come
with me, I had passed my word for his safety, and I could not bear the
thought of his being now either killed or wounded. When therefore the
natives came to request our attendance at this spectacle, which they
evidently expected would afford us great amusement, I intimated my
decided disapproval of it: at first they imagined that this reluctance
arose from some apprehension of a quarrel upon our parts, and to remove
this the greater part of the men, who now amounted to sixteen, laid down
their spears by our stores. I still however would not sanction the combat