312 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES, 
familiarity with the sea, led them to feel at home 
upon the water, and on this element many of their 
bloodiest battles were fought. A description of 
their pahis , or war canoes, has been already given. 
Their fleets were often large. The Huahinian 
expedition, according to the account of those still 
living who were in the battle of Hooroto, amounted 
to “ ninety ships, each twenty fathoms long/' on 
which it is probable a number of smaller canoes 
were in attendance. When the engagement took 
place within the reefs, the canoes were often lashed 
together in a line, the stem of one being fastened 
to the stern of the canoe before it. This they 
called api , and adopted it to prevent the breaking 
of their line, or retreat from the combat. The 
opposing fleet was, perhaps, lashed or fastened in 
the same way; and thus the two fleets, presenting 
one continued line of canoes, with the revas or 
streamers flying, were paddled out to sea, the 
warriors occupying the platform raised for their 
defence, and enabling them to command each part 
of the canoe. 
At a distance, stones were slung; on a nearer 
approach, light spears or javelins were hurled, 
until they came close alongside of each other, 
when, under the excitement of rage, infatuation, 
ambition, or despair, they fought with the most 
obstinate fury. 
It is not easy to imagine a conflict more san¬ 
guinary and horrid than theirs must have been. 
Although the victors, when faatini’d or suppli¬ 
cated, sometimes spared the fallen, it was rarely 
they gave any quarter. Retreat there was none— 
and, knowing that death or conquest must end 
the fray, they fought under the influence of des¬ 
peration. 
