thus consecrated to them, some having five or six, others one or two. The following are the names and attributes of the principal gods.

TA'LI-Y-TOOBO'; (the literal meaning of this 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. He has four houses dedicated to him in the island of Vavaoo; two at the small island of Lefooga, one at Haano, one at Wiha, and two or three others of smaller importance elsewhere. He has no priest, unless it be, the How himself, whom he sometimes inspires: but it has happened that a How, during his whole reign, has not been inspired.

Too' FOOA BOLO'TOO; 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 before mentioned; how he came by this name

"He

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 greater god?" "Yes, much greater." "How great, then, is Tali y Toobo?" "is a great chief, from the top of the sky down "to the bottom of the earth!" He is also the god of rank in society, and in this quality he is often invoked by the heads of great families, as the king, and other great nobles, on occasion of sickness, or other family troubles. He has several houses dedicated to him; three or four at Vavaoo, one at Lefooga, and a few at other islands. He has three or four priests, whom he occasionally inspires; at least Mr. Mariner is acquainted with three or four, but perhaps there are others.

HIGOOLEO, (meaning unknown); a very high god, regarded principally by Tooitonga's family. He has no priest, nor any house, and is supposed never to come to Tonga. The natives are uncertain about his attributes.

TOOBO' TOTA'I, literally, Toobo the mariner:

VOL. II.

I

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 wind, but is supposed to have great influence with that god; his chief power is extended to the preservation of canoes from accidents: this god has several houses dedicated to him, chiefly at Vavaoo and the contiguous isles. Mr. Mariner only knew one priest belonging to him, but he, perhaps, has several. It will be recollected, in the former part of the history, at the time when Finow's daughter was so ill, that this priest, when inspired, foretold that either Finow or his daughter must die, as decreed in Bolotoo; in consequence, Finow, after his daughter's death, was so exasperated with his god, Toobo Totai, for not making arrangements among the gods more favourable to him, that he vowed to kill his priest: this sacrilegious intention was, however, prevented by his own death, which happened as a judgment on him, according to the people's notions. Vide vol. i. p. 378 and 389.

ALAI VA'LOO; (the meaning of this name unknown; 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. This god is now and then invoked by the king's family, but very frequently by Tóë Oomoo. He has a large consecrated fencing at Ofoo, one of the islands in the vicinity of Vavaoo: he has, at least, one priest, and is very frequently consulted in behalf of sick persons.

A'LO A'LO; literally, to fun. 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 Toobó Totái, the protector of canoes, and other sea gods, are always invoked in place of A'lo A'lo. About the time when the yams are full grown (near the latter end of December), the ceremony of tow tow begins, consisting in an offering of yams, and other provisions, to the god A'lo A'lo. This ceremony is repeated every ten days, for eight times successively, as

will be described under the head of religious ceremonies. This god has only two houses dedicated to him, one at Vavaoo, and the other at Lefooga: he has also two priests, one at each place.

Too' BOLO'Too; literally, chief of Bolotoo. This and the three following gods are all minor gods of the sea and of voyages, and protectors 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 following. He has two houses dedicated to him at Vavaoo, and one at Lefooga; none elsewhere that Mr. Mariner knew of: he has, perhaps, two or three priests.

HA'LA A'PI A'PI; literally, a road crowded. He has the same attributes as Tooi Bolotoo. Mr. Mariner knows of no house dedicated to him. He has one priest.

TO'GI OOCUMME'A; literally, an iron axe. The same attributes as the above.

TOOвO' Boo'Goo; literally, Toobo the Short. The same attributes as the above.

TANGALO'A; god of artificers and the arts: doubtful if he has any house dedicated to him: has several priests, who are all carpenters. It was this god that brought the Tonga islands from the bottom of the sea, whilst fishing.