About the middle of the night, no actual disturbance had taken place, but some of the prince's confidents, who were dispersed about to be on the watch, brought intelligence that Voona was holding secret conferences with some of the natives of Vavaoo. The prince, however, thought it advisable not to take any active measures, nor to appear to notice it: he therefore merely ordered his spies to keep a strict eye upon their proceedings, and to obtain all the farther information they well could, without incurring suspicion. At the same time he resolved in his own mind, as soon as the consent of the people should establish his authority, to banish all suspicious chiefs to the Hapai islands. About an hour afterwards, he learnt that Voogi the preceding day had ordered sundry parties of his men to post themselves behind the bushes, on each side the road to Nioo Lalo, during the time that Finow's body was being carried there, with orders to rush out and kill all who accompanied the body, in case a fit opportunity presented itself: but no such opportunity having offered, his men had assembled armed along with him, at a house near the water side, with his canoe close at hand, and had been there all the preceding part of the night. The prince ordered that no notice should be taken of his hostile position, but that all

his own men should keep themselves well armed, and in perfect readiness to meet the enemy in case of a revolt: he also dispatched men to watch as narrowly as possible other chiefs, whom he began to think might be connected with Voogi. During the remainder of the night, no disturbance took place. In the morning, as soon as it was light, the people began to assemble on the marly, out of respect to the departed chief; and sat on the ground, waiting for the commencement of the ceremonies usual on such extraordinary occasions.

In the mean time, the prince, and his uncle, Finow Fiji, prepared cava at a neighbouring house, and presented it there to the priest of Toobo Totai, out of respect to that god, who was now become the tutelar deity of the young prince. By the mouth of his priest the god desired him not to fear rebellion; for who should dare to rebel against a chief who was the peculiar care of the powers of Bolotoo? He commanded him moreover to reflect on the circumstances of his father's death, as a salutary lesson to himself: "Your father," said the god," is now no "more-but why did he die?—because he "was disrespectful to the gods!" The conference here ended. A short time after, the prince, whilst reflecting on the words of the oracle, was addressed by a woman, who was sitting

behind him in waiting, and who was much respected by the late king and his family, on account of her having given him some information respecting a real or supposed conspiracy, on the part of the Vavaoo chiefs; (Booboono, Cacahoo, and others, who were seized in consequence at Macave, and afterwards put to death: see p. 288). This woman remarked to the prince that his father, just before he was taken ill, had sent two men to her to procure a rope, (she having the care of a store-house,) with orders to bring it to him secretly. These two men, whose names were Toohengi and Boboto, (the former the son of Toobo Boogoo, a priest, the latter a cook,) happening now to be present, the prince turned to them, and asked if they knew the purpose for which his father wanted this rope ;---whom he meant to bind with it? Hearing this question, Mr. Mariner, who was sitting close to him, exclaimed "What! did 66 you not know that he intended to bind and "afterwards to kill Toobo Tea, the priest of "Toobo Totai, to be revenged on this god for "not bringing about his daughter's recovery*?"

* This intention of the king had only been cautiously whispered about, among a few chiefs and matabooles, that were constantly with him; and his sudden sickness and speedy death, which prevented him putting his threats into execution, had so occupied every body's thoughts, that the circumstance for a time was forgotten.

This fact was afterwards confirmed by other persons, and particularly by certain warriors, who had actually received orders to seize Toobo Tea, and murder him. Thus was a plan of sacrilegious wickedness brought to light, which made all those who now heard it for the first time shudder at the mere thought: "No wonder!" (for such was the general exclamation) "no wonder that he died! a chief * with such dreadful thoughts!" Mr. Mariner then stated, in addition, "that he had heard "the king say more than once, (a few days "before he died,) How unmindful are the

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gods of my welfare !—but no! it is not the "decree of the gods in general;—it is to that "vexatious Toobo Totai, that I owe my mis"fortunes; he does not exert himself for my

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good: but wait a little, I'll be revenged!"his priest shall not live long*!*

"

* Finow had often stated to Mr. Mariner his doubts that there were such beings as the gods:—he thought that men were fools to believe what the priests told them. Mr. Mariner expressed his wonder that he should doubt their existence, when he acknowledged that he had more than once felt himself inspired by the spirit of Moomóe (a former How of Tonga): "True!" replied the king, "there may be gods; but what the priests tell us about their power over mankind, I believe to be all false."

The prince and his uncle, Finow Fiji, next held a consultation together respecting their mode of conduct, particularly in regard to certain chiefs, who were suspected of not being well disposed towards their family. Finow Fiji, for his own part, said, that he had no other wish than to coincide in whatever should

seem likely to establish the peace and welfare of Hafooloo How (the name given to Vavaoo and all its neighbouring small islands, taken collectively), and that the only method of doing this would be to send all those chiefs, who pretended to have a right to the sovereignty, or who were suspected of such pretensions, away to the Hapai islands. As to his nephew, he said, that there could not well arise any dispute to his right of succession (except on the part of ill disposed chiefs), in as much as he was the late king's heir, and was well beloved by the Vavaoo people, on account of his having been the adopted son of the late Toobo Neuha, and also because he was born at Vavaoo, and brought up there. The prince agreed with his uncle on the propriety of sending the pretenders to the Hapai islands, particularly Voona, who was of the line of those chiefs who governed Vavaoo before the revolt of Tonga; and also Voogi, who was at the head of a strong party