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), in as 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 Toobo Neuha, and also because he was born at Vavaoo, and brought up there. The prince agreed with his uncle on the propriety of sending the pretenders to the Hapai islands, particularly Voona, who was of the line of those chiefs who governed Vavaoo 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 Toobo Toa. The prince concluded by saying," But let us wait as quietly as possible, "till the burial of my father, and then we shall "have a different scene in the affairs of Va"vaoo: when all promoters of civil discord "are banished, the earth 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 Toobo Toa, against whom the prince had no intention of waging a new war, and shedding more blood for the mere purpose of obliging him to con

tinue 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 Félletóa 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.

CHAP. XIII.

Ceremony of Finow's burial-Grief of his widows-Self inflictions of the mourners- -Funeral procession to Felletoa-The policy of the prince-Description of the grave, and ceremony of interment-Ceremonies after burialRespect paid by persons passing the grave-The prince's intimation to Voona that he should exile himself The prince receives authority as How at a cava party-His noble speech on this occasion-Farther exhortations to his chiefs and matabooles respecting the cultivation of the country-Half mourning commences-The ceremony of the twentieth day after burial-Description of the dance called Méë too Buggi-Heroic behaviour of two boys at the grave-The late How's fishermen exhibit proofs of their affection for the deceased-Moral and political character of the late How-His personal character-A brief comparison between the characters. of the late and present How.

ALL the chiefs and matabooles were now assembled on the marly' 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 Félletóa. 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 such an 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 marly, all those who were particularly 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, running 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.