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The prince and his uncle, Finow Fiji, next held a consultation together respecting their mode of conduct, particularly in regard to certain chiefs, who were suspected of not being well disposed towards their family. Finow Fiji, for his own part, said, that he had no other wish than to coincide in whatever should seem likely to establish the peace and welfare of Hafooloo How (the name given to Vavaoo and all its neighbouring small islands, taken collectively), and that the only method of doing this would be to send all those chiefs, who pretended to have a right to the sovereignty, or who were suspected of such pretensions, away to the Hapai Islands. As to his nephew, he said, that there could not { well arise any dispute to his right of succession (except on the part of ill disposed chiefs), inas-!· much as he was the late king's heir, and was well: beloved by the Vavaoo people, on account of his having been the adopted son of the late Toobó Nuha, and also because he was born at Vavaoo, and brought up there. The prince agreed with his uncle on the propriety of sending the pretende: ers to the Hapai Islands, particularly Voona, who was of the line of those chiefs who governed Va vaoo before the revolt of Tonga; and also Voogi, who was at the head of a strong party of men, and was known to be in the interest of Toobó Tóa. The prince concluded by saying, "But let there were such beings as the gods. He thought that men were fools to believe what the priests told them. Mr Mariner expressed his wonder that he should doubt their existence, when he acknowledged that he had more than once felt himself inspired by the spirit of Moomóe (a former How of Tonga. "True!" replied the king, "there may be gods; but what the priests tell us about their power over mankind, I believe to be all false, "

us wait as quietly as possible till the burial of my father, and then we shall have a different scene in

the affairs of Vavaoo. When all promoters of civil discord are banished, the land shall be cultivated, and shall appear again flourishing, for we have had war enough! To which every body present replied, ""Tis all we wish for.'

From the above sentiments of the two chiefs, it will appear to be their intention to confine the new sovereignty to the island of Vavaoo, and its neighbouring isles, without receiving tribute (unless voluntarily paid, which was not at all likely to be the case), from the Hapai Islands, now in possession of Toobó Toa, against whom the prince had no intention of waging a new war, and shed-* ding more blood, for the mere purpose of obliging him to continue that tribute as heretofore.

The conference being ended, the two chiefs turned their attention to the removal of the body of the late How to Félletoa to be buried, as there were no fytócas at Neáfoo but such as belonged to the family of Tooitonga; and it would have been contrary to custom to have buried an individual of the How's family in a grave belonging to that of Tooitonga.

CHAPTER XIII.

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ALL the chiefs and matabooles were now assembled on the malai at Neafoo. Among the rest was Voona, to whom the prince went up, and intimated the necessity of removing the body of his father to Félletoa. It would have been thought very disrespectful if he had not mentioned this to Voona before he issued orders respecting it, because Voona was a very great chief, even greater than Finow himself; and such a reserve on such a public occasion, towards a superior, would have been an act offensive to the gods. It may appear strange that Voona was a greater chief than the son of the king, yet it is a frequent occurrence, that the king is chosen from a family not of the highest rank, on account of his superior wisdom or military skill, and this was the case with the present royal family; so that the king is often obliged to pay a certain ceremonious respect (hereafter to be noticed) towards many other chiefs, even little children, who are greater nobles than he.

The company were now all seated, habited in mats, waiting for the body of the deceased king to be brought forth. The mourners, who are always women, consisting of the female relations, widows,

mistresses, and servants of the deceased, and such other females of some rank who choose, out of respect, to officiate on the occasion, were assembled in the house, and seated round the corpse, which still lay out on the bales of gnatoo. They were all habited in large, old, ragged mats; the more ragged, the more fit for the occasion, as being more emblematical of a spirit broken down, or, as it were, torn to pieces by grief. Their appearance was calculated to excite pity and sorrow in the heart of any one, whether accustomed or not to such a scene. Their eyes were swollen with the last night's frequent flood of grief, and still weeping genuine tears of regret; the upper part of their cheeks perfectly black and swollen, so that they could hardly see, with the constant blows they had inflicted on themselves with their fists; and their breasts also were equally bruised with their own misplaced and untimely rage.

Among the chiefs and matabooles who were seated on the malai, all those who were particu larly, attached to the late king, or to his cause, evinced their sorrow by a conduct, usual indeed among these people at the death of a relation, or of a great chief (unless it be that of Tooitonga, or any of his family), but which, to us, may well appear barbarous in the extreme; that is to say, the custom of cutting and wounding themselves with clubs, stones, knives, or sharp shells. One at a time, or two or three together, would run into the middle of the circle formed by the spectators, to give these proofs of their extreme sorrow for the death, and great respect for the memory of their departed friend. The sentiments expressed by these 2 €

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victims of popular superstition were to the following purpose:-Finow! I know well your mind; you have departed to Bolotoo, and left your people under suspicion that I, or some of those about you, were unfaithful: But where is the proof of infidelity? where is a single instance of disrespect ?" Then, inflicting violent blows, and deep cuts in the head with a club, stone, or knife, would again exclaim, at intervals, "Is this not a proof of my fidelity? does this not evince loyalty and attachment to the memory of the departed warrior?" Then, perhaps, two or three would run up, and endeavour to seize the same club, saying, with a furious tone of voice," Behold! the land is torn with strife! it is smitten to pieces! it is split by revolts! how my blood boils! let us haste and die! I no longer wish to live! your death, Finow, shall be mine! But why did I wish hitherto to live? it was for you alone! it was in your service and defence, only, that I wished to breathe! but now, alas, the country is ruined ! Peace and happiness are at an end! your death has insured ours! henceforth war and destruction

alone can prosper. These speeches were accompanied with a wild and frantic agitation of the body, whilst the parties cut and bruised their heads every two or three words, with the knife or club they held in their hands.

Others somewhat more calm and moderate in their grief, would parade up and down with rather a wild and agitated step, spinning and whirling the club about, striking themselves with the edge of it two or three times violently upon the top or back of the head; and then, suddenly stopping, and looking steadfastly at the instru