cava root. The king and his matabooles being now returned to their canoe, the expedition proceeded out of the inlet, and arrived shortly at a small island, on which they landed, and stripped it of almost all its It is here proper to mention, that all the islands adjacent to Vavaoo were deserted by order of Toe Oomoo, that the people might be more safely situated in or near the fortress, in case of an invasion. The three canoes afterwards proceeded a little farther onward, and put in for the night at a small island, called Hoonga, about two miles from Vavaoo. The next morning they resumed their voyage, and in the afternoon reached Haano, the nearest of the Hapai Islands, THE day after the return of the expedition, the gods were invoked in the usual way, and the oracular answer given was, to proceed immediately to war against Vavaoo. All things being in readiness, the following morning the king embarked with the whole of his forces, about 5000 men, besides 1000 women, in fifty large canoes, containing also the four carronades, ammunition, and every thing necessary for a vigorous attack upon the strong fortress of Vavaoo. Towards evening, they arrived at Fonnooi-fooa, one of the small islands in the neighbourhood of Vavaoo, whence Finow despatched four canoes, manned with select warriors, up the inlet, towards the fortress, with orders to kill whomsoever they could. They succeeded in killing three men, and severely wounding a fourth, whom, with the three dead bodies, they brought to Finow. Killing these three men, in the first attempt upon the enemy, was by no means to be considered a trifling advantage; for it was supposed to augur the protection of the gods, and great fu ture success. Early in the morning, the Hapai fleet proceeded up the inlet to Neafoo, the consecrated spot formerly mentioned, where they landed safely, N 2 The four car leaving the women in the canoes. ronades were planted opposite the house of a neighbouring malái, ready to be drawn up the following morning to the fortress, which was about three miles off; and the day was spent in settling and arranging sundry matters. During the night, which was exceedingly dark, a considerable degree of alarm was excited by two or three of the enemy, who approached, and threw a spear among a number of Finow's people, asleep near the house. It happened, however, to strike a bundle of spears that was placed upright against a tree, and, throwing it down, occasioned such a noise, that several of the men were awakened by it, who, thinking that the main body of the enemy was coming down upon them, began to run away. At this moment, one of them, more courageous than the rest, snatching up a piece of lighted wood, applied it to the touch-hole of one of the guns, which instantly went off, and produced such an effect on the enemy, that no more was heard of him that night. This certainly was a bold act for a man who had never before fired a gun in his life, and might in the worst case have been productive of the best effects; for, if the enemy had come in considerable numbers, as was at the moment falsely imagined, and this man had not had such presence of mind, all Finow's army might have been put completely to the rout, their guns taken from them, and a vast number of them slain. As it was, the report of the gun, awakening all who were yet asleep, induced such a degree of consternation as is scarcely to be conceived. They ran in all die rections, but most of them to the canoes, and it was some time before their fears were suf ficiently calmed to permit their return. The man who performed this exploit received much praise and respect for his bravery. As to promo tion, it is a thing not known among them; for, as will be explained hereafter, no man can hold a rank in society which he is not born to; and as to other modes of reward, the merit of a good or brave action, together with the admiration and respect which it creates, is considered its best reward, unless the party makes a point to boast of it, and then his merit is set almost at nought. Early the following morning, Finow divided his army into three grand divisions: the right wing was commanded by Toobó Tóa, the left by Lioofau, chief of Haano, and the centre by himself. The guns were allotted, two to the centre, and one to each flank, and were managed by seven Englishmen, besides Mr Mariner and a black native of South America, taken by the Port au Prince in one of her prizes. Matters being thus arranged, and Finow having repeated the orders he had formerly issued, viz. that his men should keep themselves perfectly steady, and not attack the enemy till they were quite close to them,-the army bęgan its march towards the garrison. After four or five hours interrupted progress, owing chiefly to the weight of the guns and the badness of the road, they arrived before the fortress, on the banks of which a vast number of the enemy were assembled. As they approached, a shower of arrows was discharged upon them; but Finow ordered a mataboole to advance forward and request an armistice, that each party might take leave of what friends and relations they might have among their opponents; * which being granted, a number came out of the garrison to take a farewell of their relatives,perhaps the last farewell of those who were about to fight against them. Here ensued a moving scene; many tears were shed on both sides, and many a last embrace exchanged. This affecting spectacle had lasted about two hours, when a circumstance occurred, unfortuuate enough in its consequences, but which might have turned out still more so. One of the enemy, upon the outer bank of the fortress, wantonly shot an arrow at Mr Mariner, but which missed him, and stuck in a tree close at his elbow. He imme diately turned about, and, discovering the man who discharged it, levelled his musket, on the impulse of the moment, and shot him dead upon the spot. Instantly the enemy sounded the war-whoop, and all was uproar and confusion. The king, not understanding the cause, was in a violent rage with Mr Mariner, and sent a man to demand his musket, which the latter, feeling himself aggrieved, peremptorily refused. Finow, by this time, becoming somewhat more calm, and learning the true cause of the disaster, was speedily reconciled. In the mean time the enemy, conceiving this to be a piece of treachery, returned to their entrench * In a civil war at these islands, as well as at other places, it often happens that sons have to fight against their fathers, and brothers against their brothers; but what renders this circumstance still more common at Tonga, is the adherence to an old established custom, which binds every man in honour to join the cause of that chief on whose island he happens to be at the time the war is declared, unless some circumstance, as particular relationship between great men, engages the chief of the 'island, upon earnest request, to give him liberty to depart. For |