Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/227

Rh the yams being all planted,) should assemble within ten days at Lefooga, armed with clubs and spears, and supplied with a good store of provisions. Being all arrived within the time proposed, Finow issued orders to all his forces to prepare for a review. On the appointed day they assembled on a malái, to the amount of about six thousand; all armed, and painted, and dressed according to some warlike fancy. Finow then delivered a speech, in which he declared his opinion that the Tonga mode of warfare had, hitherto, been upon a very bad principle; and that instead of running forwards and then retreating, accordingly as they met with advantages or disadvantages, they ought rather to remain together in a body, and not to retreat on every trifling occasion, but to push forward with the most determined courage, and thus dash terror into the minds of their enemies; or by standing their ground with unconquerable steadiness, to strike them with astonishment at their fortitude and strength: for such he had heard was the way of fighting in England, (meaning Europe at large,) and it claimed his highest admiration:"and," he added, "if any man sees the point of a spear advancing upon his breast, he is not to run back like a coward, but push forward upon it, and at the risk of his life, deal destruction on VOL. r. M