. The two bodies of savages rushed
headlong upon each other and engaged in a general _melee_, and a more
dreadful set of men I have never seen. They wore grotesque war-caps made
of various substances and decorated with feathers. Their faces and
bodies were painted so as to make them look as frightful as possible; and
as they brandished their massive clubs, leaped, shouted, yelled, and
dashed each other to the ground, I thought I had never seen men look so
like demons before.

We were much surprised at the conduct of the women, who seemed to be
perfect furies, and hung about the heels of their husbands in order to
defend them. One stout young women we saw, whose husband was hard
pressed and about to be overcome: she lifted a large stone, and throwing
it at his opponent's head, felled him to the earth. But the battle did
not last long. The band most distant from us gave way and were routed,
leaving eighteen of their comrades dead upon the field. These the
victors brained as they lay; and putting some of their brains on leaves
went off with them, we were afterwards informed, to their temples, to
present them to their gods as an earnest of the human victims who were
soon to be brought there.

We hastened back to the Christian village with feelings of the deepest
sadness at the sanguinary conflict which we had just witnessed.

Next day, after breakfasting with our friend the teacher, we made
preparations for carrying out our plan. At first the teacher endeavoured
to dissuade us.

"You do not know," said he, turning to Jack, "the danger you run in
venturing amongst these ferocious savages. I feel much pity for poor
Avatea; but you are not likely to succeed in saving her, and you may die
in the attempt."

"Well," said Jack, quietly, "I am not afraid to die in a good cause."

The teacher smiled approvingly at him as he said this, and after a little
further conversation agreed to accompany us as interpreter; saying that,
although Tararo was unfriendly to him, he had hitherto treated him with
respect.

We now went on board the schooner, having resolved to sail round the
island and drop anchor opposite the heathen village. We manned her with
natives, and hoped to overawe the savages by displaying our brass gun to
advantage. The teacher soon after came on board, and setting our sails
we put to sea. In two hours more we made the cliffs reverberate with the
crash of the big gun, which we fired by way of salute, wh