the

blowing conchs; then come the men, bearing yams, about seventy or eighty in number, i. e. about a hundred and sixty men in a single line, as close to each other as the length of the pole will allow; after them come a single line of men, about forty in number, singing aloud, as before stated, nofo o'ooa*, &c.; these are followed up by two other boys blowing conchs: they proceed between the grave and the chiefs, describing there a large circle two or three times, the conchs blowing and the men singing: the yams are then deposited, one after the other (still on the poles), before the grave, and the men sit down by the side of them, so that the chiefs and matabooles are in the rear: one of the matabooles of Tooitonga now rises, advances, and again seats himself before the grave, a little in advance of the men. he addresses the gods generally, and afterwards particularly, mentioning the late Tooitonga, and the names of several others. He returns thanks for their divine bounty in favouring the land with the prospect of so good a harvest, and prays that their beneficence may be continued in future: this prayer he makes in the

Here

*Not only no work may be done at the time of the ina'chi, but nobody may appear abroad, unless for the purposes of the ceremony.

names of several chiefs present, whom he announces aloud. This being done, he arises and retires to his former place: the men now also rise and resume their loads in the same order, and, after having paraded round two or three times before the grave, return back to the marly' the same way they came, singing and blowing the conchs as before. The chiefs and matabooles, a short time afterwards, rise and follow them to the same place, where the yams are now again deposited, and loosened from the poles, still, however, retaining their ornaments. The company seat themselves in a large circle, at which Tooitonga presides; the king, and other great chiefs, retiring behind among the mass of the people. The other articles that form part of the inachi are next brought forward; these are dried fish, mahoa', mats, gna'too, and bundles of mellecoóla, which, together with the yams (although not cooked), are shared out by one of the matabooles of Tooitonga. First, there is a considerable share (about one fourth), allotted to the gods, which the priests appropriate, and their servants immediately take away about one half is allotted to the king, which his servants, without farther orders, take away to his house, and the remainder is taken away by Tooitonga's servants. It may

seem strange that the latter has a smaller share than the king, but then he has not a quarter the number of dependants to divide it among.

The materials of the Inachi being removed, the company form a regular cava party: some cava root is brought and prepared, and a large quantity of dressed victuals, perhaps a hundred and fifty baskets-full; a small portion of which is shared out to be eaten with the cava. While the infusion is preparing, a mataboole makes a speech to the people, stating, that as they have performed this important ceremony, the gods will protect them, and grant them long lives, provided they continue to pay due attention to religious ceremonies, and to pay respect to the chiefs. When the cava is finished, the circle separates, and the provisions are shared out to each chief according to his rank. The day concludes with wrestling, boxing, &c. after which night dances commence. When these are ended, the people retire home, perfectly assured of the protection of the gods. At this ceremony, the quantity of provisions shared out is incredible; the people, therefore, look upon it as a very heavy tribute, though in fact the owners of the plantations (chiefs, matabooles, &c.) are at the expense of it; yet

as there is much more provided than what is eaten, it helps to increase the scarcity if the season should not be abundant: but it is so much the custom at Tonga to make liberal and profuse presents, that the people generally either feast or starve. Sometimes it happens that several great feasts are given nearly about the same time; as for instance, the occasion of the Inachi; the arrival of some chief from a distant island, after a long absence; the marriage or death of some great chief, as of Tooitonga himself, &c. These feasts threaten a scarcity; to prevent which, a ta'boo or prohibition is put upon several kinds of food, that they may not be eaten for a certain length of time, at the termination of which they perform the following ceremony, which takes off the taboo: a famine or war may also occasion a necessity for this taboo to be imposed.

FUCCALAHI, i. e. to make all at large or free again; or to take off a restriction. As the mode of performing this ceremony has already been described, (see Vol. I. p. 128.) and the particular objects of it mentioned, (p. 119, same vol.) nothing farther need now be said upon the subject, except that it is generally concluded with a cava party.

CAVA FUCCA EGI: this consists in a cava

party, where an inspired priest sits at the head: the circumstances of inspiration we have already related, (Vol. I. p. 105.) and the form of serving out the cava when a priest presides, (Vol. II. p. 205.) The phrase cava fucca egi means literally, a god-like cara. Laying a small piece of cava root before the grave of a chief or consecrated house, out of respect to a god, or to a deceased relation, is called toogoo cava, and will be mentioned in its proper order.

Tow-Tow is an offering of yams, cocoanuts, and other vegetable productions to A'lo Alo (the god of weather) in particular, and to all the gods in general, for the purpose of ensuring a continuation of favourable weather, and consequent fertility. This ceremony is first performed at the time when the yams are approaching maturity, in the early part of November, and is repeated every ten days for seven or eight times. On the day appointed by the priest of A'lo A'lo, every plantation on the three parts of the island, viz. the hahagi, mooa, and hihifo* divisions, provide a certain quantity of yams, cocoa-nuts, sugar-canes, bananas, plantains, &c.; all which are brought

* Hahagi is the north end of any island; hihifo the south end: the mooa part of the island being the centre.