WRESTLING MATCHES. 205 
parties, at the commencement of the festival, 
whereby the banquet was concluded before the 
games began. The wrestlers of one district some- 
times challenged those of another, but the trial of 
strength and skill often took place between the 
inhabitants of different islands; the servants of 
the king of the island forming one band, and those 
in the train of his guest the other. 
In this, as in most of their public proceedings, 
the gods presided. Before wrestling commenced, 
each party repaired to the marae of the idols of 
which they were the devotees. Here they pre- 
sented a young plantain-tree, which was fre- 
quently a substitute for a more valuable offering, 
and having invoked aid of the tutelar deity of the 
game, they repaired to the spot where the multi-' 
tude had assembled. A space covered with a 
grassy turf, or the level sands of the sea-beach, 
was usually selected for these exhibitions. Here 
a ring was formed, perhaps thirty feet in diameter, 
the aufenua, people of the country, being on one 
side, the visitors on the other. The inner rank 
sat down, the others stood behind them; each 
party had their mstruments of music with them, 
but all remained quiet until the games began. 
Six or ten, perhaps, from each side, entered the 
ring at once, wearing nothing but the maro or 
girdle, and having their limbs sometimes anointed 
with oil. | 
The fame of a celebrated wrestler was usually 
spread throughout the islands, and those who 
were considered good wrestlers, priding them- 
selves upon their strength or skill, were desirous 
of engaging only with those they regarded as their 
equals. Hence, when a chief was expected, in 
whose train were any distmguished wrestlers, 
