ticed as being inspector of the native shipwrights, had the same occupation even in Mr. Mariner's time, (1806). The purchase of the Lilly-bird, here mentioned, he also heard the particulars of: the white residents called her the Ladybird. Besides the schooner, the king gave the American captain 4000 dollars, and a number of hogs, in exchange for her. When Mr. Mariner saw her, she was being coppered, under the direction of Boyd. The king said that he should invade Atooi as soon as she should be ready for sea.

P. 157. Clerk, captain of the king's packet, and Hairbottle, captain of the Lilly-bird, Mr. Mariner also knew very well. The latter very often acted as pilot, he might also be called harbour-master to the king. He is mentioned in the second volume of the present work, p. 66.

P. 162. The author here mentions the laborious method of cultivating taro, and states, that even the king sometimes assisted in it, but why he could not conjec

ture, unless to set an example of industry to his people, but which, he acknowledges, they scarcely seem to want. Mr. Mariner was informed that other great chiefs as well as the king often assisted at this, and all kinds of laborious exercise, to render the body active, strong, and capable of enduring hardships.

P. 165. The number of white people on Wahoo is here stated to be nearly sixty in Mr. Mariner's time they were counted at ninety-four.

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P. 166. The author speaks of the drunkenness of the white people. Mr. Mariner observes that the natives also are strongly addicted to the same vice, when they can get the liquor, but that the king, to prevent such excesses, allowed of no stills but what were under the inspection of his officers, and that all spirit distilled was his property, which he sold or gave as favour or reward to whom he chose.

P. 167. The author here says, "There were no missionaries upon the island during the time I remained in it, at which I was

often much surprised." Neither were there any in Mr. Mariner's time, and when the king was questioned upon the subject of Christianity, this was his remarkable reply: “I should be afraid to adopt so danger

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ous an expedient as Christianity; for I "think no Christian king can govern in "the absolute manner in which I do, and yet be loved by his subjects as I am by mine: such a religion might perhaps well in the course of a few

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"answer very

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generations; but what chief would sanc"tion it in the beginning, with the risk of "its subverting his own power, and in"volving the islands in war? I have made 66 a fixt determination not to suffer it." This declaration was made in the cabin of the Port au Prince, Mr. Mariner being present; Isaac Davis, one of the white residents, was the translator. Mr. Mariner is convinced that Davis gave a faithful representation of the sentiments of the king; for although the latter does not speak English, he often seems to understand what is spoken in that language, and fre

quently gives his nod of assent or dissent accordingly it is indeed a question whether he does not understand English better than he pretends, but pleads ignorance from motives of policy. Mr. Mariner had afterwards ample confirmation of the king's sentiments in regard to Christianity from his Sandwich-island companions, at Tonga.

P. 170. The king's prime minister, Naai, nicknamed by the white people, Billy Pitt, was also well known to Mr. Mariner, who received from him a present of a very handsome helmet.

P. 179. On a certain occasion of ceremony, the king "is obliged to stand till three spears are darted at him: he must catch the first with his hand, and with it ward off the other two. This is not a mere formality. The spear is thrown with the utmost force; and should the king lose his life there is no help for it." Mr. Mariner was told by the natives, that it was impossible the king could lose his life or even be wounded on this occasion; for

should he chance to miss a spear, his tu telar god would catch it or turn it aside, rather than allow him to be hurt.

P. 185. The author here speaks of the use of Ava, (or as the Tonga people call it, Cava), which he never saw employed but as a medicine to prevent corpulency, ardent spirits being adopted as a luxury instead of it. Mr. Mariner, when he was at Wahoo, saw it drunk twice as a luxury, and was told that several of the old men still preferred it to spirits. It must be remembered that this was four years before Mr. Campbell's time.

P. 188. It is here remarked that the

women are much disposed to break the taboo the author says, "I have known them eat of the forbidden delicacies of pork and shark's flesh. What would be the consequence of a discovery I know not." Mr. Mariner also witnessed several instances of this. The Sandwich-island women have so many severe and impolitic restrictions in regard to food, that it would be unreasonable perhaps to expect that they