of an enemy, to give himself the name of some one particular person, whom he means to single out and fight. This warrior, however, instead of assuming the name of one of the enemy, proudly called himself Fana Fonnooa (a great gun), declaring that he would run boldly up to a cannon and throw his spear into the mouth of it.

When Finow was informed of these proceedings of the Vavaoo people, he immediately resolved to make a descent upon them with a powerful force, and reduce them into subjec tion before they could have completed their designs: but the priests dissuaded him from this hasty project, and proposed, that it would be much more acceptable to the gods to make, in the first place, an offer of reconciliation. The king, however, had not much respect for the priests, and though he sometimes conformed with their advice, it was generally because it tallied with his own opinion, or he did it for the mere outside shew of veneration for the gods his want of religion was, indeed, almost proverbial, and, on this account, the people often wondered that he was so successful in war. In this particular instance he was so exasperated at the conduct of his aunt, that not the persuasion of the priests, nor the ad

monitions of the gods, could prevent him turning his immediate attention to the necessary preparations for a speedy attack on Vavaoo. Intermediate and unexpected events, however, put a stop, for a time, to these preparations.

At this period, there arrived from Hamoa (the Navigator's islands), Finow's son and heir, Moegnagnongo, after an absence of five years; with him came another great chief, whose name was Voona, and who had formerly been chief of Vavaoo; they and their retinue had sailed from Hamoa in six canoes, one of which containing sixty persons, and all Moegnagnongo's treasures, was lost in a gale of wind. In their way they had touched at Vavaoo, not knowing the political situation of the island, and were very near being forcibly detained; but, observing something suspicious in the conduct of the people, they put off to sea again, and thus made their escape in time.

Their arrival at Lefooga occasioned great feasting and rejoicing, which lasted many days, and served to divert the king from his immediate warlike projects.

Two daughters of chiefs had, for several years, been kept apart, and reserved to be the wives of the young prince (as we shall beg leave to call him, to avoid the frequent repe

tition of his uncouth name), as soon as he should return from Hamoa. He had, indeed, brought two wives with him, natives of that place, but, finding that his friends at home had not been unmindful of him in this particular, he resolved to marry these young maidens also: and, partly to please his own humour, and partly to afford a little amusement to the Hapai people, he resolved, also, that the ceremony should be performed, for the most part, after the manner of the Navigator's islands.

On the morning of the day of marriage, which was about a week after the arrival of the prince, most of the lower class of the people were employed in bringing from different parts of the island, yams, ripe plantains, and bananas; cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, fish, and cakes *. These were piled up on the marly in four large heaps, with a baked pig on the top of each. The people assembled on the spot, dressed up in new garments, ornamented

with wreaths of flowers, and with red ribbands made of the fine membrane of the leaf of the lo aców, much resembling silk: their persons were anointed with sweet-scented oil.

These cakes are made of flour prepared from the Mahoá root (see the Dictionary), mixed up with scraped cocoanut into a paste, and baked. They are considered a luxury.

VOL. I.

M

The spectators seated themselves in two sections of a circle, one beginning from the right, the other from the left hand of Finow and his matabooles; at their terminations stood the Hapai people on the one side, and the newcomers (most of them Hapai people also), on the other, so as to be opposite to each other, both parties being furnished with clubs made of the green branches of the cocoa-nut tree. The prince, who was also armed with a club, stood up among his Hamoa companions.

The two brides were now conducted by their female attendants from the house of Finow (near the marly). They were dressed in the finest Hamoa mats*, but not in such profusion as described in Tooitonga's marriage, and were veiled in the finest gnatoo. They were led into the house on the marly, and seated on bales also of the finest gnatoo. Here their feet, hands, faces, and breasts, were anointed with a mixture of sandal-wood oil, and the purest turmeric, producing a deep orange tint on their skins. They remained seated in this place, to be spectators of the

These mats are made entirely by hand, and, when very fine and large, occupy two years making; this renders them exceedingly valuable. They are so exquisitely manufac tured, that one would suppose them to be woven by a loom.

combat that was about to ensue between the inhabitants of Hapai and their friends from Hamoa.

The two parties being ready, the challenges were given in the following way: a man from one side runs over to the opposite party and sits down before it; he then demands if any one will engage with him: the person who chooses to accept the challenge, comes forward brandishing his club, when the two combatants proceed to the middle of the circle, each attended by one from his own party to assist as second. They next determine whether they shall fight after the Tonga or Hamoa fashion; the difference of which is, that the Hamoa custom allows a man to beat his antagonist after he is knocked down, as long as he perceives signs of motion: the Tonga mode, on the contrary, only allows him to flourish his club over his fallen foe, and the fight is at an end. This point being agreed on, the two champions for the applause of the multitude begin to engage. When they have finished, another party comes on in the same way. Sometimes there are three or four sets of combatants engaged at the same time. When a man gains a victory, his own party gives a shout of apobation, wo wo, a ma to, i oi,