who came from Toobo Toa, with a request to know how the inachi was to be sent to Tooi. tonga, seeing that Finow had declared that no communication whatever was to be kept up with Hapai. As all on board were habited in mats, with leaves of the ifi tree round their necks, as a token of submission, and that they came upon a religious duty, they were permitted to land. After having presented cava to several consecrated houses, they came before Finow, and presented some to him, and then opened to him the subject of their mission, stating that they came with a request from Toobo Toa, that he would grant him permission to present himself at Vavaoo, to pay his last respects to the memory of the late king, by performing the usual ceremonies at his grave; hoping that, although Finow seemed determined to cut off all communication with the Hapai islands, that still he would not carry his decree to such an extent as to form an insuperable bar to the performance of a religious duty, for that he (Toobo Toa), wished to take his last farewell of a great chief, who, while living, he so highly esteemed, and whose

* The annual tribute of the first fruits of each island, to Tooitonga.

memory be had now so much reason to respect. After Finow had heard the subject of the embassy, he said, in reply, that he should consult his chiefs and matabooles as to what measures he ought to take, and would return a definitive answer as soon as possible. Tongamana and his party then rose up and went down to the beach, where their canoe was, and passed the night in the canoe-house.

Immediately after they had departed, Finow held a council with his chiefs and matabooles, the result of which was, that Toobo Toa should be allowed to send the inachi, provided Tongamana's canoe only was sent, and that this particular canoe should be allowed to come on any after occasion, upon condition that there were no more men on board than should be sufficient to constitute a crew; or, if he encroached upon this law, the canoe was never to be allowed to come again: but the question regarding Toobo Toa's coming was reserved for a future opportunity. This resolution was made, partly from religious motives, and partly to shew the Hapai people that they entertained no fears of them, but chiefly, perhaps, to demonstrate to Toobo Toa, how well provided and well armed they were against all attacks from a foreign enemy.

The following morning, at cava, this resolution respecting the celebration of the inachi, on the part of the Hapai people, was communicated to Tonga-mana, upon which he departed immediately, on his return to the Hapai islands. As soon as Toobo Toa heard the permission granted by Finow, he ordered the tributes from the different islands (intended for the inachi), to be collected together, and put on board Tonga-mana's canoe. At the same time, the inhabitants of Tofooa, an island belonging to Tooitonga, eager to send their tribute for the inachi, also dispatched a canoe to accompany that of Toobo Toa, and, although this was contrary to Finow's strict injunction (that only Tonga-mana's canoe should come on this expedition), still they flattered themselves that, as it was a canoe from Tooitonga's own island, it would be overlooked. But in this they were mistaken, for no sooner did the people of Vavaoo (so jealous were they of any apparent encroachment on their liberties), perceive that two canoes, instead of one, were coming to their shores, than they raised a great clamour, contending that the Hapai people had a mind to be treacherous; that, under the mask of religion, they were coming as spies; and, making these complaints to Finow, they called loudly

for orders against such a proceeding, and insisted that one of the canoes should be sent back before the other should be allowed to land.

Finow, seeing the conduct of the Hapai people, and hearing the complaints of his own, immediately gave orders that Tooitonga's canoe should be instantly sent away, else neither of them should be allowed to land. Perceiving, however, afterwards, that Tooitonga's canoe was laden with part of the tribute, and, as it would have been sacrilegious to have sent back any portion of what was intended for the inachi, he ordered it to be landed, and the canoe, with all its men, who, by the by, were choice warriors, to be sent back immediately, without being allowed to set foot on shore. On this occasion, Finow, reflecting how easy it would be for any of the Vavaoo people who chose, to leave the island on this occasion, and that Tooitonga's canoe would readily receive them, because the law which he had previously made, extended not to this canoe, but only (according to the manner in which it was expressed), to that of Tonga-mana; reflecting on this, and seeing no way to prevent the evil, he openly proclaimed to the people, that if any wished to go and reside at Hapai, they had the opportunity of going in Tooitonga's canoe,

but that they would not be permitted to return to Vavaoo. No one, however, thought proper to leave the island.

: After the ceremony of inachi, the canoe of Tongamana was sent away with permission to bring Toobo Toa, and any of his chiefs that thought proper to come, even although they filled more than one canoe, provided they only staid one day at Vavaoo, just to perform the ceremonies at the grave of the late How. For the king began now to consider that it would be bad policy to impose too many restrictions on the admission of the Hapai people, as it would indicate want of strength, and a certain degree of apprehension; and on the other hand, as the fortress was very strong, and able to resist almost any adverse force, he had not so much occasion to be under alarm.

In the mean time Finow dispatched several small canoes to the outer islands of Hafooloo Haoo*, to watch the arrival of Toobo Toa, and to return with immediate notice of this event to Vavaoo, which they did as soon as they saw three canoes which hove in sight. The notice being given to Finow, he sent back several of his own canoes to meet those of Toobo Toa,

The name given to Vavaoo and all its surrounding islands.