Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 2.djvu/176

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gaged on each wing with fpears and flings. The fuccefs of the conteft, however, feemed to depend intirely on tliofe with the pallaloos, who firmly difputed every inch of the ground, by parrying each others hinges with the greatcfl; dexterity, until feme to the left of Titeeree's center fell. This greatly encouraged Tamaahmaah's party, who, rufli- ing forward with fliouts and great impeiuofuy, broke the ranks of their opponents, and vi6lory was declared for the arms of Owhyhce, by the fuppofed death of fevcra! of the enemy; thefe at length retreat- ed; and on being more clofcly prelFed, the war was decided by the fup- poicd death ol'Titeeree and Taw; and thofe who had the honor of perfo- nating thefe chiefs, were, like thofe before, dragged in triumph by the heels over no fmall extent of loofe fandy beach, to be prelented to the vidorious Tamaahmaah, and for the fuppofed purpofe of being facrificed at his moral. Thefe poor fellows, like thofe before mentioned, bore their treatment with the greatest good humour.

The firft exhibition appeared to be extremely rude, diforderly, and ineifeftual, though much dexterity was certainly fliewn; but from the manner in which the pallaloos were managed, it would feem that they are ca])able of fuflaining a very heavy aflault.

These military exploits finiflied towards fun-fet, and as foon as it was dark we entertained the king and a large concourfe of his people with a difplay of fire works. Tamaahmaah and fome of the chiefs recolle6ted to have feen a few indifferent ones, that were fired by Captain Cook on his being vifited by Terreeoboo; but ours, being in higher prefervation, of greater variety, and in a larger quantity, were viewed by the feeral chiefs, who were the only perfons admitted within our tabooed precinfts, with the greatefl mixture of fear, furprize, and admiration; and by the repeated burlls of acclamation from the numerous body of the inhabi- tants alfembled on the occafion, it was hard to determine which of thefe pallions moft generally preponderated.

The following morning Kavahero, the chief of Kowrooa, whowas of our parly the preceding evening, informed me, that on his return liomc, the inhabitants of that village at firll confidered what they beheld as a divcrfion only, but from the lime it laltcd, and the continual clamour that 1 they