The hut being finished, I went out in search of a wife, knowing thereby that we would also enjoy greater security as well as gain their confidence. Finding a[133] group of six or eight chewing carver I chatted with them awhile; when taking one of them, a girl of about sixteen, by the ear slightly, I signified to her my wish of her becoming my wife. She instantly left her business, and accompanied me to my hut. That was all the required ceremony. A man at any time getting dissatisfied with his wife, has only to lead her from the house, bid her go elsewhere, and take to himself another more suited to his fancy. Finding the one I had first chosen differing entirely from what I supposed, I made use of this prerogative, drove her from the house, and chose for myself a daughter of one of the chiefs, a girl of only thirteen years of age, with whom I lived during my residence on the island. Great was the astonishment of the natives when they saw us kill a hog, or any other animal at a distance, with our gun; and such was their fear of the pobohe, as they termed it, that they would scarcely come near it, much less touch it; this was a very happy circumstance for us, and we indulged them in their fear, hoping that by so doing, to retain the exclusive control of it ourselves, and thereby gain notoriety among them as warriors. Each day we went to the battle field, but seldom would the enemy meet us there. One morning taking a quantity of junk lead, which we brought instead of balls, we cut it into small pieces, or slugs, intending to use two or three at a time; we proceeded to the battle field with only a few of the warriors. On our arrival we gave one yell or whoop, to apprise the enemy of our presence in the field. From the eminence we occupied,[134] we could overlook the valley of the Cohaphas. They wishing to appear as not at all fearful of us, commenced dancing, and singing loudly, still they dare not meet us in the field.