314 WITNESS A NATIVE FIGHT. 



— contrary to their usual practice of late ; and at 

 the place where they had slept^ numbers of spears 

 were stuck up on end in the sand. These prepara- 

 tions surprised me^ but Paida would not explain 

 the cause and seemed anxious to get me away. 

 The shooters marched off — each with his black — but 

 I loitered behind, walking- slowly along the beach. 



About 200 yards from the first camping^lace, 

 two groups of strange natives, chiefly men, were 

 assembled with throwing-sticks in their hands and 

 bundles of spears. While passing them they moved 

 along in twos and threes towards the Evans Bay 

 party, the men of which advanced to meet them. 

 The women and children began to make off, but 

 a few remained as spectators on the sands, it being 

 then low water. A great deal of violent gesticu- 

 lation and shouting took place, the parties became 

 more and more excited, and took up their position 

 in two scattered lines facing each other, extending 

 from the margin of the beach to a little way in the 

 bush, and about twenty-five yards apart. Paida, 

 too, partook of the excitement and could refrain no 

 longer from joining in the fight ; he dropped my 

 haversack and bounded away at full speed to his 

 camping-place, where he received his spears from 

 little Pui'om his son, and quickly made his appear- 

 ance upon the scene of action. 



The two parties were pretty equally matched — 

 about fifteen men in each. The noise now became 

 deafening; shouts of defiance, insulting expressions,. 



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