222 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
gratification they derived from beholding them 
destroy each other. Long before the first foreign 
vessel was seen off their shores, they were accus¬ 
tomed to train and to fight their birds. The fowls 
designed for fighting were fed with great care; a 
finely carved fatapua, or stand, was made as a 
perch for the birds. This was planted in the house, 
and the bird fastened to it by a piece of cinet, 
braided flat that it might not injure the leg. No 
other substance would have been secure against 
the attacks of his beak. Their food was chiefly 
poe , or bruised bread-fruit, rolled up in the hand 
like paste, and given in small pieces. The fowl 
was taught to open his mouth to receive his food 
and his water, which was poured from his master’s 
hand. It was also customary to sprinkle water 
over these birds to refresh them. 
The natives were universally addicted to this 
sport. The inhabitants of one district often 
matched their birds against those of another, or 
those of one division of a district against those 
of another. They do not appear to have enter¬ 
tained any predilection for particular colour in 
the fowls, but seem to have esteemed all alike. 
They never trimmed any of the feathers, but were 
proud to see them with heavy wings, full-feathered 
necks, and long tails. They also accustomed them 
to fight without artificial spurs, or other means of 
injury. In order that the birds might be as fresh 
as possible, they fought them early in the morn¬ 
ing, soon after day-break, while the air was cool, 
and before they became languid from heat. More 
than two were seldom engaged at once, and so 
soon as one bird avoided the other, he was consi- 
< ered as vi, or beaten. Victory was declared in 
favour of his opponent, and they were immediately 
