Aug.] MODE OF WARFARE. 429 



I have already said that the Indian race, who inhabit the two western 

 islands, and the negro race, who inhabit the two eastern islands, are 

 often at war with each other ; but I have not yet mentioned their pecu- 

 liar mode of commencing and carrying on hostilities. From all I can 

 learn, the following is their general plan of operations. 



If the western islanders have received, or think they have received, 

 an injury from their eastern neighbours, they send the aggressors notice, 

 by an agent duly authorized for the mission, that in five days from that 

 date (for they always give five days' notice), at such an hour, and in 

 such a place, a certain number of warriors will land on their territory 

 from a specified number of canoes, armed and equipped in such and 

 such a manner ; at which time and place negotiations may be opened, 

 for explanations and the redress of grievances. 



The landing, the meeting, and the negotiation, all take place accord- 

 ingly ; and if the subject of dispute be amicably adjusted, the affair 

 terminates with a banquet, and both parties are satisfied. But if, on 

 the other hand, they fail to agree, " then comes the tug of war." An 

 equal number of warriors meet the complainants, face to face, and 

 ** let the hardest fend off." For half an hour they fight like ferocious 

 tigers, dealing out wounds and death without pity or compunction. 

 They then separate, as if by mutual consent, and rest for the remainder 

 of the day ; both parties remaining near the field of battle, burying 

 their dead, and attending to the wants of the wounded. 



On the following day, when both parties have declared themselves 

 in readiness, the contest is renewed, with twofold earnestness, and 

 continues twice the time of the yesterday's battle, unless one of the 

 contending parties should give in, and yield the victory to the other. 

 On the contrary, at the termination of an hour's hard fighting, they 

 again separate, lay aside their weapons, and assist each other in bury- 

 ing the dead, and giving relief to the wounded, in the most amicable 

 manner. On the third day the fate of the campaign is decided. They 

 commence the battle in the morning, and continue it until one of the 

 parties is beaten. If it be the invaders, they forfeit their canoes and 

 weapons to the conquerors, who are bound to give the vanquished a 

 feast, and convey them to their own islands in safety, where a treaty 

 of peace is ratified by another feast, which lasts two days. The two 

 islands will then be in mourning for fifteen days, in honour of their 

 friends who have fallen in battle. After this a friendly intercourse is 

 renewed, and both parties pass and repass from their respective islands 

 as usual. 



Oh the other hand, should the invading party prove victorious, the 

 others will accede to their demands, and make the best treaty that cir- 

 cumstances will allow, always ratified by a feast of two days' duration. 

 The prisoners taken during the action belong to the individuals who 

 take them, if their party be victorious ; otherwise they are given up to 

 the conquerors ; but the yielding party are never considered or treated 

 as prisoners, but are honourably used, and sent to their respective 

 homes, as before stated. 



The weapons with which these battles are decided consist of spears 

 made of very light wood, and pointed with flint-stone or fish-bones ; 



