expected, he sent for Mr Mariner, and expressed his disappointment. The latter replied, that no doubt there was mischief enough done on the inside of the fort, wherever there were resisting bodies, such as canoes, the posts and beams of houses, &c.; and that it was evident the besieged had no reason to think lightly of the effect of the artillery, seeing that they had already greatly slackened their exertions, not half the number of arrows being now discharged from the fort; arising, in all probability, from the number of the slain, or of those who had fled up into the country. It was now resolved to set fire to the place; for which purpose a number of torches were prepared and lighted, and an attack made upon the outer fencing. It was found, however, but weakly defended, and was soon taken; for the door-posts being shot away, an easy entrance was obtained. A considerable portion of the inner fencing was now found undefended, and towards this place a party rushed with lighted torches, whilst the enemy were kept in play elsewhere. The conflagration spread rapidly on every side; and, as the be sieged endeavoured to make their escape, their brains were knocked out by a party of the besiegers, stationed at the back of the fort for the purpose. During this time, the guns kept up a regular fire with blank cartridges, merely to intimidate the enemy. The conquerors, club in hand, entered the place in several quarters, and slew all they met men, women, and children. The scene was truly horrible. The war-hoop shouted by the combatants, the heart-rending screams of the women and children, the groans of the wounded, the number of the dead, and the fierceness of the con

flagration, formed a picture almost too distracting and awful for the mind to contemplate. Some, with a kind of sullen and stupid resignation, offered no resistance, but waited for the hand of fate to despatch them, no matter in what mode; others, already lying on the ground wounded, were stuck with spears, and beaten about with clubs by boys, who followed the expedition to be trained to the horrors of war, and who delighted in the opportunity of gratifying their ferocious and cruel disposition. Every house that was not on fire was plundered of its contents, and the conquerors made a considerable booty.

In a few hours, the fortress of Nioocalofa, which had obstinately and bravely defended every attack for eleven years or more, was thus completely destroyed. When Finow arrived upon the place, and saw several canoes, which had been hauled up in the garrison, shattered to pieces by the shot, and discovered a number of legs and arms lying around, and about three hundred and fifty dead bodies, he expressed his wonder and astonishment at the dreadful effect of the guns. He then thanked his men for their bravery, and Mr Mariner and his companions in particular, for the great assistance rendered by them.

A few of the enemy, who had escaped the ge

In this affair, one of Finow's men, a native of Fiji, had made himself a sort of breastplate of an earthenware fish-strainer, such as is laid in the bottom of dishes when fish is brought to table, which he had procured from the Port au Prince. But unluckily it happened, that an arrow pierced him directly through the hole which is commonly in the middle of such strainers. The wound laid him up eight months, and he never afterwards, in Mr Ma, riner's time, was able to hold himself perfectly erect,

neral slaughter, were taken prisoners, and gave a curious description of the effect of the guns. They declared, that, when a ball entered a house, it did not proceed straight forward, but went all round the place, as if seeking for men to kill; it then passed out of the house and entered another, still in search of food for its vengeance, and so on to a third, &c.; sometimes it would strike the corner post of a house, and bring it all down together. The chiefs, seeing this dreadful mischief going forward, rendered still more tremendous by their own imaginations, sat in consultation, upon one of the large canoes just mentioned, and came to a determination to rush out upon the white men, and take possession of the guns. This was scarcely resolved upon, when a shot struck the canoe on which they were sitting, and shattered it to pieces, which so damped their courage, that they ran for security to one of the inner houses of the garrison, where their distress was much increased, by finding their men deserting the place, and running up into the country.

The king, having finished this affair, began to think of returning to Pangaimotoo. Mr Mariner, indeed, endeavoured to persuade him to follow up the advantages of his victory, by immediately laying siege to another fortress, which, no doubt, would soon have fallen into their hands; and the whole island being struck with dismay, would readily have submitted to his government. But, it seems, Finow was not yet the complete warrior.

Pangaimotoo is not more than three quarters of a mile distant from the island of Tonga, separated from it only by a long narrow reef. As soon as

they landed, they sat down to eat, not having taken any refreshment since morning, with the exception of some of the men, whose stomachs not being the most delicate, had partaken of some yams and plantains which were found roasting along with the bodies of the dead in the general conflagration at Nioocalofa.

They remained here several days, during which time several canoes were sent to an uninhabited part of Tonga for the purpose of procuring reeds to rebuild the fortress of Nioocalofa ; which step was taken by the admonition of the gods, consulted on the occasion through the medium of the priests and as the invocation of the gods, and inspiration of the priests, are circumstances that will often occur in the course of this work, it will be well to take the present opportunity of describing them.

The night previous to the consultation of the oracle, the chief orders his cooks to kill and prepare a hog, and to procure a basket of yams, and two bunches of ripe plantains. These things being got ready, the next morning they are carried to the place where the priest is, who is sometimes previously apprised of the circumstance, at other times not. The chiefs and matabooles then clothe themselves in mats, and repair thither. If it be at a house, the priest seats himself just within the eaves; * if at a distance, on any convenient spot of ground, and the matabooles range themselves on either hand, so as to form a circle, or rather an ellipsis, leaving a considerable space vacant oppo

Their houses are built somewhat in form of a shed, open all round, and the eaves coming within about four feet of the ground,

site the priest. In this space, at the bottom of the circle, sits the man who prepares the cava, the root being previously chewed by the cooks, attendants, and others, who sit behind him. Behind these again sit the chiefs indiscriminately among the people, conceiving that such modest demeanour must be acceptable to the gods.

As soon as they are all seated, the priest is considered as inspired, the god being supposed to exist within him from that moment. He remains for a considerable time in silence, with his hands clasped before him, his eyes cast down, and motionless. During this time the victuals are being shared out, and the cava preparing, and the matabooles begin to consult him. Sometimes he answers them, at other times not; in either case he remains as formerly. Frequently he will not utter a word till the repast is finished, and the cava too, When he speaks, he generally begins in a low and very altered tone of voice, which gradually rises to nearly its natural pitch, though sometimes a little above it. All that he says is supposed to be the declaration of the god, and he accordingly speaks in the first person as if he were the god. All this is done generally without any apparent inward emotion or outward agitation; but on some occasions his countenance becomes fierce, and, as it were, inflamed, and his whole frame agitated with inward feeling. He is seized with an universal trembling; the perspiration breaks out on his forehead, and his lips, turning black, are convulsed; at length, tears start in floods from his eyes, his breast heaves with great emotion, and his utterance is choked. These symptoms gradually subside. Before this paroxysm comes on, and after it is over, he often eats as