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"submit to such insults unrevenged!" such sentiments as these would he now and then break forth in presence of Mr. Mariner, after conversing on the power of the king of England. Hence his character, as to ambition, is drawn by himself with bold and decided lines. As to intrigue and design the reader may refer to the history of his conduct in the revolution of Tonga, (p. 77) where he suffered Toobo Neuha's revenge to be the tool of his ambition, pretending to have no strong wish for the death of Toogoo Ahoo; hence Toobo Neuha took upon himself the charge of assassination, whilst Finow remained on the outside of the house with his men waiting the result: thus he did not draw upon himself the odium of any one, as an actual murderer of Toogoo Ahoo; all which fell upon the shoulders of Toobo Neuha, equally as great and brave, but a more honest and a worthier man. For a more striking instance, look to his deep design in the history of the assassination of Toobo Neuha, who had been his own ally, and was then his most faithful servant (see p. 144); here again he made use of another man's revenge to effect his purpose; and mark the admirable caution with which he steps in this affair throughout. He acknowledges that he promised Toobo Toa

his assistance, but then states, as his reason, that he did it with the view of putting off Toobo Toa's intention for a time, under the false pretence, he says, that it was not yet a fit opportunity; but in reality, as he tells the Vavaoo people, that he might find an occasion to prevent the mischief altogether! But who can doubt, after having observed closely the features of that transaction, but that Finow meant to bring about the murder of Toobo Neuha that very night, else why did he tell Mr. Mariner not to bring his whaling knife with him: was it not that he wished to be unarmed, that he might not have an opportunity of defending Toobo Neuha? Again, he did not, before he set out from his house, send for Toobo Neuha to accompany him, but when he had got half way on his road he stopped to bathe, and in the mean while, as if it were a second and a casual thought, he sent for his victim to accompany him to the old chief's house, where they remained above two hours. Toobo Toa was not present, and Toobo Toa's men were getting ready a canoe for him to escape, in case he were unsuccessful. When the first blow was given, Finow could not defend Toobo Neuha, because he was purposely unarmed, and because Toobo Toa's men held him, which they would

not have dared to have done had they not been so ordered by their chief. Need any more be said to shew his policy?—Once more notice him, when he wishes to make a peace with the Vavaoo people, after he had kept up for some time a fruitless contest (p. 232). To have expressed this wish might have weakened him in the opinion of his enemies; what does he in this case?—he takes frequent. opportunity to converse with the priests: he does not tell them that he wishes for peace, but he observes that peace would be much more advantageous for his subjects; lamenting, at the same time, that the disobedience of the Vavaoo people obliges him to have recourse to warlike measures the minds of the priests, however, becoming strongly impressed with the advantages of peace, when inspired they advise him to make a peace; he, pretending to do as the gods admonish him, yields to the solicitation, and permits his priests to make overtures, as if this step was originally designed by them, or rather by the gods, and that he consented merely because it was a point of religious duty to do so. Thus we find him an admirable politician, although the picture is occasionally marked with traits which do no honour to his character as a man. Farther instances of this

kind may be noticed, such as his cruelty towards his conquered enemies, by starving his prisoners to death in the shocking manner related p. 84, for which he could have no excuse, unless to deter others from rebellion. As to his seizing several of the Vavaoo chiefs at a cava ring (p. 288), and ordering them to be killed, it may perhaps be that they were meditating an insurrection, as he was informed; hence such strong measures became almost necessary in a state of society like that. But it would be rather severe to consider cruelty so great a crime among these people as it would be among us: the evil to society may be perhaps quite as great, but the demerit certainly falls not so heavy upon the perpetrator, nor does the victim, in all probability, feel the evil so much. To return to the subject, Finow was by no means destitute of the spark of humanity: it was remarkable in him that, although he was rather arbitrary, he hated to see oppression in others, and would frequently take the part of the oppressed, against those who were punishing them harshly; and this Mr. Mariner is confident did not arise from caprice, nor from pride, as willing to make himself the only person to be feared, but from far better motives. As a proof of his sentiments in this respect, the

following anecdote is worthy of notice: When Mr. Mariner was first able to explain himself in their language, young chiefs and warriors would frequently flock about him, (particularly those who were active in taking the Port au Prince,) and question him as to the use of various things they had seen on board that vessel, and then they would describe the difficulty they had in killing some of the men, mentioning, at the same time, who killed such a one and who killed another, and expressed, by their actions, how much such a man was convulsed when he died, and how deeply he groaned. Whilst talking upon such subjects, Finow passing that way, and overhearing the discourse, would command them not to talk upon a matter which must be so disagreeable to Mr. Mariner's feelings; that the fate of his companions was too serious a subject to be thus slightly spoken of: to which some of the chiefs replied, "but he "does not make that a subject of considera"tion, for none of them were his relations." "Though none perhaps were his relations," rejoined Finow," they were nevertheless his

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countrymen." Remarks like these, if not made out of pride, or from a spirit of contradiction, (and Mr. Mariner firmly believes they were not,) may very well serve to convince us