death silenced the screams of those who but now lay reposed in the arms of sleep. The two chiefs and their followers betook themselves, as quickly as possible, to Hahagi, the northern part of the island. Early in the morning confusion and dismay reigned in the island of Tonga-men and women ran they knew not whither, unknowing whether to join this party or that-old men were seen making speeches to the people, encouraging them to avenge the death of their chief:-the numerous. relations and friends of the deceased king ran about beating their breasts and weeping:shells were heard blowing in every quarter, as the signals of war and disturbance,-here to assemble the friends of the late How,*— there to summon together the partizans of liberty. Finow and Toobo Neuha, in the course of a few hours, assembled together a considerable number of adherents, with whom, after having launched their canoes in case their retreat from the island should be necessary, they proceeded to Hihifo (the place where the How was killed). When they arrived here, their first concern was to destroy the enemy's canoes; * King and they succeeded in doing it, after some opposition. They next directed their march to the place where the loyalists were assembled, about three quarters of a mile distant from Hihifo, and a general battle took place, which lasted till night, with great slaughter on both sides: Finow's party, however, was at length repulsed, and forced to fly back to Hahagi, where it remained till the evening of the ensuing day, when an event happened which reinforced its strength, and gave the allied chiefs and their followers fresh spirits for the combat ;-this was the arrival of the two canoes with Tooi Hala Fatai and his bold adventurers from the Feejee islands. This chief and his warlike companions, ever ready to enter into a new contest, immediately joined Finow, and swore allegiance to his cause. The very evening of their landing, however, their leader, Tooi Hala Fatai, felt himself much indisposed; and as his disorder hourly increased, he was seized with the apprehension that his complaint was mortal. With this idea strongly impressed upon his mind, he proposed that they should sally forth as early as possible the ensuing morning, to meet the enemy while he had any strength remaining, that by this means he might escape the bed of sickness and die gloriously in the field of battle. Scarcely had the sun risen, when the three chiefs and their brave warriors were already on their march towards Hihefo. Their equally brave and determined opponents met them about half-way. Both of them paused as if instinctively at the same moment. They summoned up their spirits to endure a mighty and bloody conflict: liberty on the one side, loyalty on the other, fired them with the desire of performing matchless achievements. The active and impetuous mind of Tooi Hala Fatai could brook no delay: anxious to set the glorious example of an heroic spirit, he and his Feejee warriors began the battle by rushing forward * The following description of the battle is expressed in a style of language that may be thought not very consistent with the sobriety of historical narration: but I have ventured to do this, because the natives always describe this battle in the strongest terms, as the first and one of the most bloody that ever was fought. On one side were the late king's numerous relations bravely fighting, each in the secret hope of obtaining a kingdom: on the other side were three chiefs of unconquerable spirit, one fighting for dominion, another for his reputation as a patriot, and the third, with a fierce and warlike mind, for the honour and glory of a name, setting his life at no consideration whatever. The circumstances of this battle, as here described, are strictly as related by the natives. J. M. VOL. I. G on a party of the enemy. Immediately the battle became general, with such unconquerable determination on both sides, that the plains of Tonga had perhaps never before witnessed so tremendous a shock. The brave Toobo Neuha, inspired by the greatness of his cause, with a resistless arm performed prodigies of valour when he stood, he stood like a rockwhen he rushed, it was with the impetuosity of a torrent: he raised his ponderous club only to give death his victim; and as he moved forward he strode over the bodies of fallen chiefs. In another part of the battle, Tooi Hala Fatai was seen moving onward in the path of victory; though he felt his strength gradually decreasing, yet the terror of his fiery eye paralysed the arms of his enemies; at length, fearful lest too speedy a conquest might deprive him of the opportunity of dying a warrior's death, he rushed with an exulting spirit into the thickest of the battle, and fell, pierced with spears, beneath the clubs of his adversaries. In the mean while, Finow was not an idle looker on: he fought with equal courage, but with a more steady and less presumptuous bravery; the greatest of his enemies fell beneath the weight of his club; and as his eye sated itself with the number of his opponents whom death had stretched upon the reeking plain, his ambitious mind, confident in victory, seemed already to enjoy the sweets and power of monarchy. The battle raged for about three hours, when, by the extraordinary exertions and achievements principally of Toobo Neuha, who, as fame reports, slew on that day forty with his own hand,-the enemy became panicstruck, and fled in all directions, conquered by that arm, which, two days before, in giving Toogoo Ahoo his death, had delivered the country from a tyrant. Although the victory was so decisively in favour of Finow, it cost him the lives of many of his bravest men, and so far lessened his numerical strength, as to render it prudent not to pursue the enemy. After a consultation with his ally, it was agreed on to proceed immediately to the Hapai islands and Vavaoo, and look to their own possessions, rather than run the risk of losing them and their lives too in a dangerous war at the island of Tonga, where the loyalists were particularly strong. They accordingly set sail for the Hapai islands, and landed at the nearest of them, Namooca, after a slight resistance from a few of the adherents of Toogoo Ahoo. They soon gained entire possession of Namooca, and thence ex |