who a little before lay reposed in the arms of sleep.

The two chiefs and their followers betook themselves, as quickly as possible, to Hahagi, the northern part of the island. Early in the morning confusion and dismay reigned in the island of Tonga-men and women ran they knew not whither, unknowing which party to join-old men were seen making speeches to the people, encouraging them to avenge the death of their chief :the numerous relations and friends of the deceased king ran about beating their breasts and weeping: -shells were heard blowing in every quarter, as the signals of war and disturbance.

Finow and Toobó Nuha, in the course of a few hours, however, assembled together a considerable number of adherents, with whom, after having launched their canoes in case their retreat from the island should be necessary, they proceeded to Hihifo, the place where the + How was killed. On their arrival, their first concern was to destroy the enemy's canoes, in which they succeeded, after some opposition. They next directed their march to the place where the loyalists were assembled, about three quarters of a mile distant from Hihifo, and a general battle took place, which lasted till night, with great slaughter on both sides. Finow's party, however, was at length repulsed, and forced to fly back to Hahagi, where it remained till the evening of the ensuing day, when an event

*The sacrifice of these women, however barbarous, was strictly according to the general Tonga custom in such cases; where not only the individual enemy is destroyed, but also all who belong to him, even his women, that his party may be weakened and distressed as much as possible. + King.

happened which reinforced its strength, and gave the allied chiefs and their followers fresh spirits for the combat. This was the arrival of the two canoes with Tooi Hala Fatai, and his bold adventurers from the Fiji islands. This chief and his warlike companions, ever ready to enter into a new contest, immediately joined Finow, and swore allegiance to his cause. The very evening of their landing, however, their leader, Tooi Hala Fatai, felt himself much indisposed; and as his disorder hourly increased, he was seized with the apprehension that it was mortal. With this idea strongly impressed upon his mind, he proposed that they should sally forth as early as possible the ensuing morning, to meet the enemy while he had any strength remaining, that by this means he might escape the bed of sickness, and die in the field of battle. Scarcely had the sun risen, when the three chiefs and their resolute warriors were already on their march towards Hihifo * Their equally determined opponents met them about half way. Both paused, as if instinctively, at the same moment. They summoned up their spirits to endure a mighty and bloody conflict. Liberty on the one side, loyalty on the other, fired them with the desire of performing matchless achievements. The active and impetuous mind of Tooi Hala Fatai could brook no delay. Anxious to set the glorious example of an heroic spirit,

* The circumstances, as here described, are strictly as related by the natives. The language in which it is expressed, is, according to Mr Mariner's judgment, suitable with the poetic descriptions which he heard of it. From the Transactions of the Missionary Society," it appears that the battle was fought on the 29th of May 1799.

VOL. I.

G

3

he and his Fiji warriors began the battle by rushing forward on a party of the enemy. Immediately the contest became general, with unconquerable determination on both sides. Toobó Nuha, with a resistless arm, performed prodigies of valour. He raised his ponderous club only to give death his victim; and as he moved forward, he strode over the bodies of fallen chiefs. In another part, Tooi Hala Fatai moved onward in the path of victory; and though he felt his strength gradually decreasing, the terror of his fiery eye paralyzed the arms of his enemies. At length, fearful lest too speedy a conquest might deprive him of the opportunity of dying a warrior's death, he rushed with an exulting spirit into the thickest of the battle, and fell, pierced with spears, beneath the clubs of his adversaries. In the mean while, Finow was not an idle looker on. He fought with equal courage, but with a more steady and less presumptuous bravery. The greatest of his enemies fell beneath the weight of his club; and as his eye sated itself with the number of his opponents whom death had stretched before him, his ambitious mind seemed already to enjoy the sweets and power of monarchy. The battle lasted for nearly three hours, when, chiefly by the extraordinary exertions of Toobó Nuba, who, it is reported, slew forty with his own hand-the enemy became panic-struck, and fled in all directions.

Although the victory was so decisively in favour of Finow, it cost him the lives of many of his bravest men, and so far lessened his numerical strength, as to render it prudent not to pursue the enemy. After a consultation with his ally, it was agreed on to proceed immediately to the Hapai

Islands and Vavaoo, and look to their own possessions, rather than run the risk of losing them and their lives in a dangerous war at the island of Tonga, where the partisans of the late How were particularly strong. They accordingly set sail for the Hapai Islands, and landed at the nearest of them, Namooca, after a slight resistance from a few of the adherents of Toogoo Ahoo. They soon gained entire possession of Namooca, and thence extended their arms to the neighbouring islands, meeting with little opposition, and gathering additional strength, till they arrived at the island of Haano, where a large body of the enemy were assembled, and in waiting ready to engage them. Here they had an obstinate but decisive battle, which terminated in favour of Finow. Thus was the conquest of all the Hapai islands secured, and of which Finow was acknowledged king. In this battle a number of chiefs and matabooles (ministers and attendants of chiefs) were taken prisoners, all of whom, having been in the immediate service of the late king, were, by the orders of Finow, put to death in various ways. Some were sent on board old and useless canoes, which were then scuttled, and immediately sunk; others were taken three or four leagues out to sea, and being put in old leaky ones, and tied hand and foot, were left gradually to meet their fate. Those against whom Finow entertained the greatest inveteracy were taken to the island of Lofanga, and there tied naked to stakes driven in the ground, or to the trunks of trees, and left to starve to death. Notwithstanding their exposure to the raging heat of the sun, and to every indignity, several of them bore their torments with the greatest fortitude, lin

gering till the eighth day, while others of weaker constitutions died in three or four days. Ever since that time, the natives of the place superstitiously believe that they can hear their groans frequently during the night. But this may be occasioned by the roaring of the surf at a distance, or of the sea in subterraneous caverns, which, working upon the imagination, to a certain extent may resemble the groans of dying people. *

Finow, and his ally Toobó Nuha, after publie rejoicings at Haano, embarked for Vavaoo, where they were allowed to land without opposition. The people of this island, however, had heard of the assassination of Toogoo Ahoo by a canoe from the Hapai Islands, and were determined to resist the claims of Finow, not by an open war, but in a mode much more harassing and tedious; and he accordingly found the reduction of Vavaoo exceedingly troublesome and dangerous. The enemy, always avoiding a general engagement, frequently molested him with sudden and violent assaults, either under cover of the darkness of the night, or during the day from their hiding-places; which mode of warfare so exasperated Finow, who was not on such occasions of the mildest temper, he gave orders that all prisoners who were chiefs should be reserved for future and exemplary punishment. The contest lasted about fourteen or fifteen days, during which time the two chiefs separated, and scoured the island all over, conquering wherever they met with opposition. At length

The natives do not regard this as any thing awful, or as a memento of the crime of their chief, but as a matter of curiosity, without attempting to assign any

reason for it.