e of Mango are
in the habit of meeting on open ground. We arrived before the two
parties had commenced the deadly struggle, and creeping as close up as
we dared among the rocks, we lay and watched them.

The combatants were drawn up face to face, each side ranged in rank four
deep. Those in the first row were armed with long spears; the second
with clubs to defend the spearmen; the third row was composed of young
men with slings; and the fourth consisted of women, who carried baskets
of stones for the slingers, and clubs and spears with which to supply
the warriors. Soon after we arrived, the attack was made with great
fury. There was no science displayed. 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 woman 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