that the opposite party in their turn fell back, and were completely beaten off the ground.

This contest being now ended, the company dispersed, each to his respective home, whilst Finow retired to a small house, which had been built since his daughter's death, near Böóno (the large house on the marly); and there, feeling himself much exhausted, he laid down to rest from his fatigue. He had not been long in this posture before he found himself very ill his respiration became difficult; he turned himself repeatedly from side to side; his lips became purple, and his under jaw seemed convulsed: from time to time he groaned deeply and most horribly: all the by-standers were much affected, the women shed a profusion of tears, and the men were occupied no doubt with the thoughts of what commotion might happen in the event of his death, what blood might be spilt, and what battles won and lost. The king, in the mean while, seemed perfectly sensible of his situation: he attempted to speak, but the power of utterance was almost denied to him; one word alone could be clearly distinguished, fonnooa (land or country); hence it was supposed that he meant to express his anxiety respecting the mischiefs and disturbances that might happen to the country in the

event of his death. After waiting a little time, finding he did not get better, the prince, and a young chief named Voogi, went out to procure one of Finow's children by a female attendant, to sacrifice it to the gods, that their anger might be appeased, and the health of its father restored*. They found the child in a neighbouring house, unconsciously sleeping in its mother's lap they took it away by force, and retiring with it behind an adjacent Fytóca, strangled it, as quickly as possible, with a band of gnatoo; they then took it, with all speed, before two consecrated houses and a grave, at each place hurrying over a short but appropriate prayer to the god to interfere with the other gods in behalf of Finow, and to accept of this sacrifice as an atonement for his crimes. This being done, they returned to the place where Finow lay, but found him with scarcely any signs of life, speechless and motionless;—his heart, however, could be just felt to beat. In the mean time he had been placed on a sort of hand-barrow, which had been made on purpose, during the time the child was strangled. Fancying there were still some hopes of his recovery, his friends carried For farther particulars respecting this ceremony, see p. 228.

1

him on this bier to different consecrated houses, although he had, almost beyond a doubt, breathed his last, with violent struggles, about ten minutes before. He was first carried to the house dedicated to Táli-y-Toobó, where an appropriate prayer to the god was hurried over as quickly as possible: the corpse (for it was now perhaps nothing more, for there was no pulse at the wrist; and Mr. Mariner, applying his hand to the region of the heart, found it had ceased sensibly to beat) was conveyed to the house of the god Too'i-foo'a- Bolotoo, where a similar prayer was preferred. Not contented with this, they next carried it to the grave of a female chief named Chinitacala, and her spirit was in like manner invoked, Some hope still remained; and his body was carried a mile and a half up the country, on the road towards Felletoa, to the residence of Tooitonga, their great divine chief, at Nioo Lolo. When arrived here, the body was conveyed to Tooitonga's cook-house, and placed over the hole in the ground where the fire is lighted to dress victuals: this was thought to be acceptable to the gods, as being a mark of extreme humiliation, that the great chief of all the Hapai islands, and Vavaoo, should be laid where the meanest class of mankind, the

cooks, were accustomed to operate. All this time Tooitonga remained in his own house, for his high character, as a descendant of the gods, rendered it altogether unnecessary, and even degrading and improper, that he should interfere in this matter.

By this time, his friends losing all hopes, and being convinced that he was really dead, brought the body back to Neafoo, where it was placed in the large house on the marly, called Böóno. In the mean while, many chiefs and warriors secretly got ready their spears, (which were tied up in bundles,) and put them loose, ready to be seized at a moment's notice; and selecting out their clubs, arranged them, in order to be used on the urgency of occasion; expecting every moment the shout of war from one quarter or another: and if we just take a cursory view of the state of affairs, at this critical juncture, we shall find that such apprehensions were by no means groundless.

No sooner was the late How deceased, than all those principal chiefs who had, or imagined that they had some claims to the government of Vavaoo, were expected to take up arms to assert their cause. Among these was Voona Lahi, otherwise Tooa Caláo; who it may be

recollected returned from Hamoa with the late king's son (see p. 160), and was chief of Vavaoo at the period of the Tonga revolution*; but was afterwards dispossessed of his island by the late How.-Toobo Toa was another chief who it was thought would lay claim on this occasion, on account of his great strength in fighting men, and for having killed the late chief of Vavaoo, (Toobo Neuha). A third chief was Finow Fiji, the late How's brother, who perhaps had a greater claim than either of the two before mentioned, on account of his relationship; he was also a brave warrior, and considered to be a man of great prudence and wisdom: by some it was not supposed that he would lay any claim; for, although he was a brave warrior, when occasions called forth his courage, he was still a very peaceable man, remarkable for sage counsel, and for strong aversion to every kind of conspiracy or dis

* It is proper here to take the opportunity of correcting an error in p. 88, where it is asserted that Voona was tributary to Toogoo Ahoo: this was not exactly the case; he ought to have been, but he neglected to pay his regular tribute, though he occasionally made large presents to the How the latter, therefore, winked at the neglect, for Voona was a great and powerful chief; and the distance of Vavaoo from Tonga prevented Toogoo Ahoo from risking a war with him.