THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
23 
which fat the judges, under three ftandards, from which 1779. 
hung ilips of cloth of various colours, the fkins of two „ J armai r- 
wild geefe, a few fmall birds, and bunches of feathers. 
When the fports were ready to begin, the fignal was given 
by the judges, and immediately two combatants appeared. 
They came forward llowly, lifting up their feet very high 
behind, and drawing their hands along the foies. As they 
approached, they frequently eyed each other from head to 
foot, in a contemptuous manner, calling feveral arch looks 
at the fpedlators, draining their mufcles, and udng a va¬ 
riety of affecfted geftures. Being advanced within reach of 
each other, they flood with both arms held out ftraight be¬ 
fore their faces, at which part all their blows were aimed. 
They ftruck, in what appeared to our eyes an awkward 
manner, with a full fwing of the arm; made no attempt 
to parry, but eluded their adverfary’s attack by an incli¬ 
nation of the body, of by retreating. The battle was quickly 
decided ; for if either of them was knocked down, or even 
fell by accident, he was confidered as vanquilhed, and the 
vidtor exprefled his triumph by a variety of geftures, which 
ufually excited, as was intended, a loud laugh among the 
fpecftators. He then waited for a fecond antagonist; and if 
again victorious, for a third, till he was, at laft, in his 
turn, defeated. A lingular rule obferved in thefe combats 
is, that whilft any two are preparing to fight, a third per- 
fon may ftep in, and choofe either of them for his anta- 
gonift, when the other is obliged to withdraw. Sometimes 
three or four followed each other in this manner, before 
the match w r as fettled. When the combat proved longer 
than ufual, or appeared too unequal, one of the chiefs ge¬ 
nerally ftepped in, and ended it by putting a flick between 
the combatants. The fame good-humour was preferved 
through- 
