where his antagonist was waiting for
him.

NATIVE MODE OF COMBAT.

The combats, one of which was now about to take place, much resemble the
ancient tournaments. They are conducted with perfect fairness. The
combatants fight in an open space, their friends all standing by to see
fair play, and all the preliminaries as to what blows are to be
considered foul or fair are arranged beforehand, sometimes with much
ceremony.

Taking into account the fantastic ornaments and paintings of the natives,
the graceful attitudes they throw themselves into either when trying to
avoid the spears of their enemy, or about to throw their own; and the
loud cries and wild motions with which they attempt to confuse and
terrify their adversaries, I must confess that if any exhibition of this
nature can be considered showy or attractive, this has no ordinary claims
to admiration.

NATIVE DUEL. REVENGEFUL COMBAT AND MURDER PREVENTED.

I am however not fond of shows in which the safety of my fellow-creatures
is concerned, and on the present occasion was very anxious that nothing
of the kind should take place; for before I could induce Jenna to come
with me, I had passed my word for his safety, and I could not bear the
thought of his being now either killed or wounded. When therefore the
natives came to request our attendance at this spectacle, which they
evidently expected would afford us great amusement, I intimated my
decided disapproval of it: at first they imagined that this reluctance
arose from some apprehension of a quarrel upon our parts, and to remove
this the greater part of the men, who now amounted to sixteen, laid down
their spears by our stores. I still however would not sanction the combat
and, taking up my gun, intimated my intention of seeing that nothing was
done to injure Jenna; upon this my brothers proceeded in a friendly way
to hold me: which is exactly what one sees in England when two men, who
have not the least intention in the world of hurting one another, declare
in a loud tone their fixed determination of proceeding to the most
desperate extremities; whilst mutual friends stand by and appear with the
utmost difficulty to prevent them from putting their threats in
execution. It was just in this manner that my soi-disant brothers held
me, apparently not entertaining the least doubt but that I would easily
allow myself to be persuaded not to interfere. I had now recourse to
another expedient, and this was to declare