ne is not fair, or if it does not appear very clearly who
has had the advantage, both sides sing the victory, and then they engage
again. But no person, who has been vanquished, can engage with his
conqueror a second time.

The boxers advance side-ways, changing the side at every pace, with one
arm stretched fully out before, the other behind; and holding a piece of
cord in one hand, which they wrap firmly about it, when they find an
antagonist, or else have done so before they enter. This, I imagine,
they do, to prevent a dislocation of the hand or fingers. Their blows
are directed chiefly to the head; but sometimes to the sides; and are
dealt out with great activity. They shift sides, and box equally well
with both hands. But one of their favourite and most dextrous blows, is,
to turn round on their heel, just as they have struck their antagonist,
and to give him another very smart one with the other hand backward.

The boxing matches seldom last long; and the parties either leave off
together, or one acknowledges his being beat. But they never sing the
song of victory in these cases, unless one strikes his adversary to the
ground; which shews, that, of the two, wrestling is their most approved
diversion. Not only boys engage, in both the exercises, but frequently
little girls box very obstinately for a short time. In all which cases,
it doth not appear, that they ever consider it as the smallest disgrace
to be vanquished; and the person overcome sits down, with as much
indifference, as if he had never entered the lists. Some of our people
ventured to contend with them in both exercises, but were always
worsted; except in a few instances, where it appeared, that the fear
they were in of offending us, contributed more to the victory, than the
superiority of the person they engaged.

The cattle, which we had brought, and which were all on shore, however
carefully guarded, I was sensible, run no small risk, when I considered
the thievish disposition of many of the natives, and their dexterity in
appropriating to themselves, by stealth, what they saw no prospect of
obtaining by fair means. For this reason, I thought it prudent to
declare my intention of leaving behind me some of our animals; and even
to make a distribution of them previously to my departure.

With this view, in the evening of the 19th, I assembled all the chiefs
before our house, and my intended presents to them were marked out. To
Poulaho, the king, I