ith terrible fury, dealing deadly blows and
thrusts with their murderous weapons. The din and clamour of the fray
is increased by a class of men whose duty it is to animate the troops by
voice and gesture. These may be styled the orators of battle, and are
usually men of commanding stature and well-tried courage. They mingle
in the thickest of the fight; hurry to and fro, cheering the men with
the passionate recital of heroic deeds, and, in every possible way,
rousing their courage and urging them on to deeds of valour. Pressing
through the host with flashing eyes and thundering voice, they shout
such abrupt sentences as the following:--

"Roll onward like the billows! Break on them with the ocean's foam and
roar when bursting on the reefs! Hang on them as the forked lightning
plays above the foaming surf! Give out the vigilance; give out the
anger--the anger of the devouring wild dog--till their line is broken;
till they flow back like the receding tide!"

Amid such cries, mingled with the shouts of maddened combatants, and the
yells of stricken men, the fight goes on. They use no shields.
Believing that the gods direct their weapons, they make no attempt to
guard, but lay about them with fury. Blows do not often require to be
repeated. Skulls are cleft or battered in; and hearts are pierced with
one blow or thrust, and, when noted warriors fall on either side, shouts
of triumph echo along the line and strike a panic through the enemy's
ranks.

The first wounded man who can be seized before being quite dead is
offered in sacrifice by his foes. He is not taken to their temple for
that purpose, but his head is bound round with sacred cinet brought from
the temple, and he is then laid alive on a number of spears and borne on
men's shoulders along the ranks, the priest of the god of war walking
alongside and watching the writhings of the dying man. If a tear falls
from his eye it is said he is weeping for his land. If he should clench
his fist it is supposed to be a sign that his party will resist to the
last.

If a great chief falls, the party to which he belongs retires a short
distance, collects some of the bravest men, and then rushes with
incredible fury and yells of vengeance upon the foe to "clear away the
blood." The shock is terrific when the contending parties meet, and
numbers usually fall on both sides.

During the battle the armies sometimes separate a little distance for a
time, leaving a