return. But being advised not to do so, lest this chief should prove treacherous, and put them to death, he resolved to give the fortress wholly up to Tarky', and not run such risk. The canoes were accordingly launched, and stored with pro-visions; and having given up Nioocalofa to Tarky's chiefs, upon their faithful promise to take all due care of it, Finow went on board with all his army the same afternoon, and landed at Pangaimotoo, intending to sail the following morning for the Hapai Islands.

During the night, a great fire was seen at Tonga, towards Nioocalofa, and the fortress itself was suspected to be on fire; but whether from accident, or the treachery of Tarky', Finow was resolved to learn as soon as possible. Before sunrise, therefore, he sent out a canoe to make inquiry, which soon returned with the information, received from a well disposed subject of Tarky', that the place was burnt by order of that chief, whilst Finow was within sight, on purpose to vex and irritate him. At this insult, Finow was so enraged, that he resolved to go back immediately, and exterminate Tarky' and all his family but the priests persuaded him not, reminding him of the admonition of the gods. This circumstance so affected him, that it prevented his departure till the following morning. In the mean time, a Tonga chief, Filimoeátoo, and his family, having obtained permission from the superior chief of his garrison (that of Hihifo) to join Finow, as he was his relation, arrived at Pangaimotoo, and entered into the king's service. During the day, another circumstance occurred which amused Finow, and served to quiet the ruffled state of his temper. Mr Mariner, having

heard that European ships more frequently touched at Tonga than at any of the other islands, had written, while yet at Tonga, an English letter (with a solution of gunpowder and a little mucilage for ink), on some paper which one of the natives had had a long time in his possession, and addressed it to whomsoever it might be, stating the circumstances of his situation, and that of his companions. This letter he had confided to the care of the chief of Mafanga (the consecrated place formerly mentioned), with directions to give it to the captain of any ship that might arrive at Tonga. Tooi Tooi (the Sandwich islander) having somehow heard of this letter, mentioned it to Finow, and represented it to be a notice to European ships of the fate of the Port au Prince, and a request to take revenge for the destruction of her crew. Finow immediately sent for the letter, and obtained it, under some specious pretext, from the chief of Mafanga. When it was put into his hands, he looked at it on all sides; but not being able to make any thing of it, he gave it to Jeremiah Higgins, who was at hand, and ordered him to say what it meant. Mr Mariner was not present. Higgins took the letter, and translating part of it into the Tonga language, judiciously represented it to be merely a request to any English captain that might arrive to interfere with Finow for the liberty of Mr Mariner and his countrymen; stating, that they had been kindly treated by the natives, but, nevertheless, wished to return, if possible, to their native country. This was not indeed the true substance of the letter, but it was what was least likely to give offence; and the chief accordingly remarked, that it was very na

tural for these poor fellows to wish to go back to their native country and friends. *

This mode of communicating sentiments was an inexplicable puzzle to Finow; he took the letter again and examined it, but it afforded him no information. He considered the matter a little within himself; but his thoughts reflected no light upon the subject. At length he sent for Mr Mariner, and desired him to write down something: the latter asked what he would choose to have written; he replied, put down me: he accordingly wrote "Feenow" (spelling it after the strict English orthography): the chief then sent for another Englishman who had not been present, and commanded Mr Mariner to turn his back and look another way, he gave the man the paper, and desired him to tell what that was: he accordingly pronounced aloud the name of the king, upon which Finow snatched the paper from his hand, and, with astonishment, looked at it, turned it round and examined it in all directions; at length he exclaimed, "This is neither like myself, nor any body else! where are my legs? how do you know it to be I?" and then, without stopping for any attempt at an explanation, he impatiently ordered Mr Mariner to write something else, and thus employed him for three or four hours in putting down the names of different persons, places, and things,

* The letter, in fact, was an advice to European ships to go to the Hapai Islands in preference to the Island of Tonga, as being a better place for victualling; advising, at the same time, not to suffer many of the natives to be on board at once, lest they should meet with the same fate as the Port au Prince; but, if possible, to make some of the chiefs prisoners, and keep them as hostages, till Mr Mariner and his companions were delivered up.

and making the other man read them. This afforded extraordinary diversion to Finow, and to all the men and women present, particularly as he now and then whispered a little love anecdote, which was strictly written down, and audibly read by the other, not a little to the confusion of one or other of the ladies present. It was all taken in good humour, however, for curiosity and astonishment were the prevailing passions. How their names and circumstances could be communicated through so mysterious a channel, was altogether past their comprehension. Finow had long ago formed his opinion of books and papers, and this as much resembled witchcraft as any thing he had ever seen or heard of. Mr Mariner in vain attempted to explain. He had yet too slender a knowledge of their language to make himself clearly understood : and, indeed, it would not have been an easy matter to have explained the composition of elementary sounds, and of arbitrary signs expressive of them, to a people whose minds were already formed to other modes of thinking, and whose language: had few expressions but what concerned the ordinary affairs of life. Finow, at length, thought he had got a notion of it, and explained to those about him that it was very possible to put down a mark or sign of something that had been seen both by the writer and reader, and which should be mutually understood by them; but Mr Mariner immediately informed him, that he could write down any thing that he had never seen. The king directly whispered to him to put Toogoo Ahoo (the king of Tonga, whom he and Toobó: Nuha had assassinated many years before Mr Mariner's arrival). This was accordingly done, and

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the other read it; when Finow was yet more astonished. He then desired him to write "Tarky," (the chief of the garrison of Bea, whom Mr Mariner and his companions had not yet seen; this chief was blind in one eye). When "Tarky" was read, Finow inquired whether he was blind or not. This was putting writing to an unfair test! and Mr Mariner told him, that he had only written down the sign standing for the sound of his name, and not for the description of his person. He was then ordered in a whisper to write, Tarky, blind in his left eye, which was done, and read by the other man to the increased astonishment of every body. Mr Mariner then told him that, in several parts of the world, messages were sent to great distances through the same medium, and, being folded and fastened up, the bearer could know nothing of the contents; and that the histories of whole nations were thus handed down to posterity, without spoiling by being kept (as he chose to express himself). Finow acknowledged this to be a most noble invention, but added, that it would not at all do for the Tonga islands; that there would be nothing but disturbances and conspiracies, and he should not be sure of his life, perhaps, another month. He said, however, jocularly, that he should like to know it himself, and for all the women to know it, that he might make love with less risk of discovery, and not so much chance of incurring the vengeance of their husbands.

The following morning they again embarked, and, sailing with a favourable wind for the Hapai islands, they arrived at Namooca, and ultimately at Lefooga. Orders were now issued, and prepa