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tendants, as formerly noted, consisting of Tonga people, nátives of Fiji, and others. As soon as his arrival was made known to Finow, he issued orders to the owners of the different plantations of Vavaoo to bring to the malái at Neáfoo whatever they could afford, as presents to Cow Mooala and his companions. * On this occasion there were wrestling, fighting with clubs, cava drinking, &c. as formerly described. It must be remarked, however, that when these great exhibitions of wrestling and fighting are shown on account of the arrival of visitors or persons who have been long absent, it is customary for the new comers to be challenged by any one, or every one of the island who chooses, so that in the end they are pretty certain of getting a thorough beating. No man, however, is obliged to accept the challenge, nor is it thought dishonourable to refuse it. In short, as they merely beat one another in a friendly way, it is considered a sport for general entertainment, in which any man may take an active part, if he feels himself at all so disposed. In these encounters they frequently get their arms broken; but this gives no one any concern-scarcely even the party who suffers, who immediately gets it set by one of the company (they are all tolerably expert at this from frequent practice), and bound up with bandages of gnatoo, using splints made from the

Cocoa-nut tree.

It is always customary to make presents in this way to any newly arrived party, particularly to persons much respected, as was Cow Mooala, or who have been long absent.

CHAPTER XI.

SOON after Cow Mooala's arrival from the Fiji Islands, Finow received intelligence from Toobo Toa (chief of the Hapai Islands) that a canoe had arrived at Lefooga, from the island of Tonga, with a chief, and two young matabooles. They came to petition Finow for pardon, in behalf of a great chief, named Toobó Malohi, elder brother of Toobo Toa, who had been long resident at the island of Tonga, and had defended the cause of Finow's enemies. As this chief brought very interesting information of all the recent events at the island of Tonga, we shall give an account of these transactions in the order in which they happened, and conclude with the ceremony of pardon, granted to Toobo Malohi and his followers.

Toobo Malohi had been chief of the fortress of Nioocalofa, on the island of Tonga, which, the reader will recollect, Finow besieged with the four carronades, and afterwards burnt to the ground. In consequence of which Toobo Malohi left it, with such of his followers as could save themselves, and fled up the country, to seek refuge in some other fortress. This chief had always been unfor tunate. At the time of the great revolution of Tonga, and the early successes of Finow, he had

the art of war.

fled to the Fiji Islands with his followers, and had resided there some time, gaining experience in On his return to Tonga, he built the fortress of Nioocalofa, from which he was driven as already related. He next took refuge in some other fortress; from which, owing to the jealousy of the chief, or some other cause, he was obliged to depart, and seek shelter in a third; whence also he was exiled by some untoward circumstance; and became, in fact, a wanderer whom nobody would receive in a sincere and friendly way. At length, however, he thought he had found a permanent asylum in the fortress of Hihifo, with Teoo Cava, the chief who had made Finow a present of the extraordinary well trained bird. Teoo Cava received him and his followers in a very cordial manner, considering them a great acquisition to his strength; for they had the reputation of being all great warriors, well schooled in the military practices of Fiji.

Teoo Cava, finding that no enemy thought proper to attack him, resolved to lay siege to the garrison of Nookoo Nookoo. He was successful in his attack, and took it with an inconsiderable loss of men; which being done, he determined, contrary to the advice of his matabooles, to garrison both fortresses. The reason the matabooles gave for objecting to this measure, was the readiness with which the enemy made their retreat. This they thought argued an intention of return ing speedily, with fresh strength. Ambition blinding him, however, to his own proper interests, hơ neglected sage counsel; and, dividing his forces, reserved the choicest half, including Toobo Malo

hi and his warriors, for his own personal safety in the garrison of Nookoo Nookoo, and commissioned the rest to defend Hihifo. In the course of the following night, the enemy made a desperate attack upon them. Having resolved to burn the place to the ground, they had appointed four hundred men to effect their purpose, each of whom was armed with a spear, and a lighted torch fixed at about a foot from the point of it. At a signal every man threw his flaming weapon at the fencing, or into the garrison, and, by the aid of this new invention, the place was set on fire in several points at the same time. With the view of rendering themselves more secure, the besieged had removed all the draw-bridges over the dry ditch round the fencing, except one. There was no ready means of escape, therefore, from the conflagration, which soon spread far and wide, except by one narrow path; and hundreds consequently were compelled to leap into the ditch, the sides of which were too steep to climb. Among these was Teoo Cava, who, with several other great chiefs and warriors, managed to get out, by climbing up the backs of those whose fidelity, at the utmost peril of their own lives, prompted them to lend their superiors this friendly assistance. Teoo Cava, having got out of the ditch, was now making the best of his way, unarmed, to Hihifo, when he was met by a native of Fiji, belonging to the enemy's party, who gave him the watch-word, which he was unable to answer. Instantly the Fiji warrior struck him so violent a blow on the head with his club, that he buried it in his brains. The club had got so locked into the broken skull, that he could not imme

diately withdraw it; and he probably would have left it there, but discovering what a great chief he had killed, his club, we presume, from that moment appeared exceedingly valuable the pledge as it were of future greatness. The triumph of his feelings, therefore, prevented him from seeing or hearing another man, who was fast approaching; and whilst he was in the act of disengaging his weapon, his own brains were knocked out, and his speculations as suddenly destroyed, by one of Teoo Cava's men, whose swiftness of foot brought him just in time to revenge his fallen chief, by laying his enemy prostrate by his side. But dangers were thickening round this warrior, and he was compelled to leave the body of Teoo Cava on the field, and secure his own existence by a speedy flight to Hihifo; where all who succeeded in making their escape quickly arrived. The body of Teoo Cava was soon found by the enemy; it was conveyed to their fortress, cut to pieces, and (must it again be said?) dressed for food!

Among the garrison of Hihifo was a chief named Ata, who had great reputation for political wisdom and military skill. He was a native of the island, and at the time of the revolution, when his friends and acquaintance went over to the Hapai Islands for peace and safety, he resolved to remain for the sake of his oldest and most sincere friend, Teoo Cava, and to assist and stand by him to the last. As Teoo Cava was now no more, Ata, conscious of his skill in war, and the confidence which all the men placed in him, proposed to take upon himself the command of the garrison; and his offers were gladly accepted. The other garrisons of the island soon hearing of the death of Teoo Cava,

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