THE MARAE. 361 



the thing was at an end. I had heard of no rumour of hostilities, 

 though I was aware there was a good deal of heart-burning be- 

 ginning to show itself between the Christian part of the community, 

 and those of tire inhabitants who still remained firm in their idola- 

 trous worship : it was however unlikely that any sudden outbreak of 

 violence would occur, although facts had come to my knowledge, 

 which showed me that a collision was approaching between the new 

 and old religions. Of these facts I had made the missionaries aware, 

 and had cautioned them to preach and inculcate peace to their fol- 

 lowers ; convinced as I was, that, should war be declared against 

 them, superstition would inevitably gain the day. My caution had 

 excited fear rather than determination ; and the worthy and pious 

 men had laid themselves open to reproach, in consequence of the 

 measures they had thought fit to pursue with regard to Tomati, a 

 chief of considerable repute, and the arch-heretic of the island. 



After listening for a few seconds to the confused din, I roused 

 myself from my slumberous reverie ; and skirting the cane-brake, and 

 pushing my way through the wood, I came in sight of the cause of 

 the disturbance. 



Ranged on each side a narrow sloping valley, were at least 2000 

 of the natives, clad in their war dresses, and many of them speaking 

 and gesticulating in the most ferocious manner. It was a stirring 

 and magnificent sight. I had seen war in Europe conducted like a 

 game of chess, and battles fought where individual prowess and 

 courage had no chance of being displayed. It was war robbed of its 

 excitement, and reduced to mechanical rules. Here however it was 

 clear that I was about to witness a contest of a different kind, and 

 in which the actors were brave and powerful. Though the use of 

 guns had been already introduced, their number was small, and did 

 not take away from the moral and physical chances of combat. 

 Every man was habited in his war dress, and their feathered turbans 

 glancing and swaying in the bright sun-light, joined to their tall 

 and commanding persons, produced an imposing spectacle. The 

 ground was quite open, so that every thing was brought under the 

 eye. Behind the line of warriors were groups of women, as vocife- 

 rous and fierce in their declamations as the men. 



I stood in painful surprise, gazing on the animating but still 

 melancholy spectacle. No man can view his fellow creatures 

 about to join in murderous conflict, without having his feelings 

 and his sympathies deeply stirred, even though he himself may 

 not be a sharer in the fray. The hostile parties were only a few 

 yards asunder, and were within hearing of the revilings and re- 

 proaches, couched in the most irritating language, which they 

 thundered at each other, brandishing their spears and javelins, and 

 swinging their slings, at every opprobrious speech. The lines, if 

 they could be called lines, were broken into knots of from 20 to 

 100 men, every chief having his immediate followers around him; 

 whilst, at intervals, were standing, in the most conspicuous places, 

 the war-orators, or Kanti, exhausting their eloquence and their 

 energies in stimulating their respective friends : these men were 



M,M. No, 4. 3 A 



