2i6 CAPTAIN COOK 



however, did not prevent two other females from 

 entering the lists. They seemed to be girls of 

 spirit, and would certainly have given each other 

 a good drubbing, if two old women had not in- 

 terposed to part them. All these combats were 

 exhibited in the midst of, at least, three thousand 

 people; and were conducted with the greatest 

 good humour on all sides; though some of the 

 champions, women as well as men, received 

 blows, which, doubtless, they must have felt for 

 some time after. ... In order to give them a 

 more favourable opinion of English amusements, 

 and to leave their minds fully impressed with the 

 deepest sense of our superior attainments, I di- 

 rected some fireworks to be got ready; and, after 

 it was dark, played them off in the presence of 

 Feenou, the other Chiefs, and a vast concourse 

 of their people. Some of the preparations we 

 found damaged; but others of them were in 

 excellent order, and succeeded so perfectly, as to 

 answer the end I had in view. Our water- and 

 sky-rockets, in particular, pleased and astonished 

 them beyond all conception; and the scale was 

 now turned in our favour." 



Cook explored the interior of this little archi- 

 pelago, formed of four islands, two of which 

 were connected by a coral reef which dried at 

 low water. The plantations in these islands were 

 very well kept, and the soil seemed wonderfully 



