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name, from which nothing can be deduced, is 'Wait there, Toobo.' He is the patron of the How and his family; not of Finow in particular, who is the present king, but of any one who may be king. He is also god of war, and is consequently always invoked in time of war by the How's party. In time of peace he is also occasionally invoked for the general good of the nation, as well as for the particular interest and welfare of the How's family.

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Toóifooa Bolótoo. The literal meaning of this is Chief of all Bolotoo.' From this name one would suppose him to be the greatest god in Bolotoo, but he is inferior to the one beforementioned. How he came by this name the natives themselves can give no account: the only answer they make is, that such is his proper name. Although he is the god of Bolotoo, he is inferior to Tali y Toobo; insomuch, that they scarcely make a comparison between them. If you ask them whether Tooi fooa Bolotoo is a great god, they will answer, "Yes, he is a very great god."-" Is Tali y Toobo a great god ?"-" Yes, much greater."-" How great then is Tali y Toobo?"-" He is a great chief, from the top of the sky down to the bottom of the earth."

Higooléo (meaning 'unknown'); a very high god, revered principally by Tooitonga's family.

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He has no priest nor any house, and is supposed never to come to Tonga. The natives are uncertain about his attributes.

Toobó Totái (literally, Toobo the mariner'). He is the patron of Finow's family, also the god of voyages. In the first quality he is often invoked by Finow; in the second quality he is often invoked by chiefs going upon any maritime expedition; also by any body in a canoe during a voyage. He is not the god of the wind, but is supposed to have great influence with that god. His chief power is extended to the preservation of canoes from accidents.

Alái Váloo (the meaning of this name is not known; Valoo the number eight). A god that patronizes the How's family, but is particularly the patron god of Tóë Oomoo, the late king's aunt.

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A'lo, A'lo (literally, to fan'). God of wind and weather, rain, harvest, and vegetation in general. This god is generally invoked about once a month if the weather is seasonable, that it may remain so; if the weather is unseasonable or destructive on shore, by excessive wind or rain, he is invoked every day. A'lo A'lo is not the god of thunder and lightning, of which indeed there is no god acknowledged among them, as this phenomenon is never recollected to have done any mischief of consequence. In boisterous weather at sea, the superior god Too

bó Fotái, the protector of canoes, and other sea gods, are always invoked in place of A'lo A'lo. This ceremony is repeated every ten days, for eight times successively.

Tobi Bolotoo (literally, chief of Bolotoo'). This and the three following gods are all minor gods of the sea and of voyages, and protector of Finow's family. Notwithstanding his name he is inferior to all the gods mentioned before him, but much upon an equality with the three fol lowing:

Hála ápiápi (literally,

a laad crowded').

He has the same attributes as Tooi Bolotoo. Tógi Oocumméa (literally, an iron axe'). The same attributes as the above.

Toobó Boogoo (literally, Toobo the short'). The same attributes as the above.

Tanglóa, god of artificers and the arts. Doubtful if he has any house dedicated to him. He has several priests, who are all carpenters. It was this god that brought the Tonga Islands from the bottom of the sea whilst fishing.

Such are the names and attributes of the chief primitive gods: next to those in rank and power come the souls of nobles.

The Hotooa Pow, or mischievous gods. Of these there are, perhaps, several in number, but only five or six are supposed to be particularly active, and from their disposition to plague

mankind, they reside more frequently at Tonga than at Bolotoo. They are accused of being the cause of all the petty inconveniences and troubles of life; and at Hamón (or the Navigators' Island) they have an idea, which is very convenient to the reputation of the females, that some of these Hotooa Pow molest them in their sleep, in consequence of which there are many supernatural conceptions. At Toonga, however, the matter is never carried to that extent. These Hotooa Pow had no priests, have no houses dedicated to them, nor are they ever invoked. All the great misfortunes of life, as has been before observed, are special inflictions for the crimes of men; whereas, the mischievous tricks played by the Hotooa Pow are for their own whim and delight. They lead passengers astray, trip them up, pinch them, jump upon their backs in the dark, and cause the nightmare and frightful dreams. They are never seen.

Mooi. A god that supports the earth, the earth lying on him, he being prostrate. This, as may be supposed, is a very gigantic being, greater in personal bulk than any of the others. He never inspires anybody, nor ever leaves his situation. He has no house dedicated to him. When an earthquake happens, it is supposed that this god, feeling himself in an uneasy posture, is endeavouring to turn himself about;

and on such occasions the people give loud shouts, and beat the ground with sticks, which is supposed to have the effect of making him lie still. They have no idea of what he lies on, nor ever make any inquiries about it; and say it would be folly to do so, for who could go there and see.

Such is the account they give of their gods: and the respect which they pay to these ima ginary beings is so great and so universal, that scarcely any instance is known of downright impiety.

Idea of the Creation of the World. It is believed that originally there was no land above the water but the island of Bolotoo, which, like the gods, the heavenly bodies, and the ocean, has probably always been. One day Tangaloa, the god of arts and inventions, went forth to fish in the great ocean, and having from the sky let down his hook and line into the sea, on a sudden he felt a great resistance. Believing that he had caught an immense fish, he exerted his strength, and presently there appeared above the surface several points of rock, which increased in number and extent the more he drew his line. The rocky bottom of the ocean, in which it was now evident his hook had caught, was thus fast advancing to the surface, so as to have made one vast continent, when

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