177 ( J» THE PACIFIC OCEAN. %3 



arms held out straight before their faces, at which 

 part all their blows were aimed. They struck, in 

 what appeared to our eyes an awkward manner, with 

 a full swing of the arm ; made no attempt to parry, 

 but eluded their adversary's attack by an inclination 

 of the body, or by retreating. The battle was quick- 

 ly decided ; for if either of them was knocked down, 

 or even fell by accident, he was considered as van- 

 quished, and the victor expressed his triumph by a 

 variety of gestures, which usually excited, as was in- 

 tended, a loud laugh among the spectators. He then 

 waited for a second antagonist ; and if again vic- 

 torious, for a third, till he was, at last, in his turn 

 defeated. A singular rule observed in these com- 

 bats is, that whilst any two are preparing to fight, 

 a third person may step in, and choose either of 

 them for his antagonist, when the other is obliged to 

 withdraw. Sometimes three or four followed each 

 other in this manner, before the match was settled. 

 When the combat proved longer than usual, or ap- 

 peared too unequal, one of the chiefs generally 

 stepped in, and ended it by putting a stick between 

 the combatants. The same good humour was pre- 

 served throughout, which we before so much ad- 

 mired in the Friendly Islanders. As these games 

 were given at our desire, we found it was universally 

 expected, that we should have borne our part in 

 them ; but our people, though much pressed by the 

 natives, turned a deaf ear to their challenge, re- 

 membering full well the blows they got at the 

 Friendly Islands. 



This day died William Watman, a seaman of the 

 gunner's crew ; an event which I mention the more 

 particularly, as death had hitherto been very rare 

 amongst us. He was an old man, and much re- 

 spected on account of his attachment to Captain 

 Cook. He had formerly served as a marine twenty- 

 one years ; after which he entered as a seaman on 

 board the Resolution in 1772, and served with Cap- 



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