AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE. 323 
into their ranks, and the battle was renewed 
with a prodigious noise; spears waved in the 
air; pandana seed flew from the delicate hands 
of the female warriors, over the heads of their 
husbands, upon the enemy, but the armies never 
came near enough to be really engaged. The 
leaders remained in front loudly blowing their 
horns, and sometimes giving commands. At 
length, by accident or design, one of Lagediak’s 
men fell; the battle was now over, the victory 
decided, and the signal given for drawing off 
the forces. Both armies were so exhausted, 
that they threw themselves on the grass, and 
amidst laughing and merriment, gave them- 
selves up to repose. 
A large sailing-boat now put ashore, and an 
old man with white hair and beard was lifted 
from it; his shrivelled skin hung loosely over 
his emaciated form, and his weakness was so 
extreme, that he could only approach us by 
crawling on his hands and feet: Rarik and 
Lagediak went to meet and welcome him. It 
was my old acquaintance, Langediu, Tamon of 
Ormed. When our frigate lay at anchor be- 
fore his island, he had not ventured, he said, to 
