57 6 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [October, 



neatly fewn together), and provided with a club, then advanced from 

 the oppofite fide, and, uttering much abufive language at the time, 

 ran up to Cole-he, who was on the right, and gave him a fevere blow 

 on the head, which with feeming contempt he held out to her for the 

 purpofe. She went through the fame ceremony with the reft, who 

 made no refiftance, until fhe came up to Ye-ra ni-be, a very fine boy, 

 who ftood on the left. He, not admiring the blows that his compa- 

 nions received, which were followed by blood, flruggled with her ; 

 and had he not been very a&ive fhe would have ftabbed him with 

 his own fpear, which (he wrefted from him. The men now advanced, 

 and gave the lookers-on many opportunities of witneffing the ftrengtlx 

 and dexterity with which they threw their fpears, and the quicknefs 

 of fight which was requifite to guard againft them. The contefl: 

 lafted until dark, wmen throwing the fpear could no longer be ac- 

 counted fair, and they beat each other with clubs, until they left off 

 by mutual confent. In this part of the contcft many fevere wounds 

 were given, and much blood was drawn from the heads of each 

 party ; but nothing material happened while they had light enough to 

 guard againft the fpear. 



In the exercife of this weapon they are very expert, and have been 

 feen to ftrike w T ith certainty at the diftance of feventy meafured yards. 

 They are thrown with great force, and where they are barbed are 

 very formidable inftruments. 



The throwing-ftick is about three feet long, with a hook at one 

 end, and a (hell at the other, fecured by gum ; and this flick remains 

 in the hand after difcharging the fpear. There are two kinds of them; 

 one is armed with the fhell of a clam, which they ufe for the fame 

 purpofes as we do a knife ; the other has a hook, but no fhell, and is 

 rounded at the end. With this they dig the fern- root and yam out of 

 the earth. They have a variety of fpears, fome are only pointed, others 

 have one or more barbs, and fome are armed with pieces of broken 

 oyfter-fhell. Of fhields they have two forts ; one cut from the bark 

 of the gum-tree, which is not capable of refilling the fpear like the 



other, 



