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die gloriously in the field of battle. Scarcely had the sun risen, when the three chiefs and their brave warriors were already on their march towards Hihefo. *Their equally brave and determined opponents met them about half-way. Both of them 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, he and his Feejee warriors began the battle by rushing forward

*The following description of the battle is expressed in a style of language that may be thought not very consistent with the sobriety of historical narration: but I have ventured to do this, because the natives always describe this battle in the strongest terms, as the first and one of the most bloody that ever was fought. On one side were the late king's numerous relations bravely fighting, each in the secret hope of obtaining a kingdom: on the other side were three chiefs of unconquerable spirit, one fighting for dominion, another for his reputation as a patriot, and the third, with a fierce and warlike mind, for the honour and glory of a name, setting his life at no consideration whatever. The circumstances of this battle, as here described, are strictly as related by the

natives.

VOL. I.

J. M.

on a party of the enemy. Immediately the battle became general, with such unconquerable determination on both sides, that the plains of Tonga had perhaps never before witnessed so tremendous a shock. The brave Toobo Neuha, inspired by the greatness of his cause, with a resistless arm performed prodigies of valour when he stood, he stood like a rock— when he rushed, it was with the impetuosity of a torrent: 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 of the battle, Tooi Hala Fatai was seen moving onward in the path of victory; though he felt his strength gradually decreasing, yet the terror of his fiery eye paralysed 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 upon the reeking plain, his ambitious mind, confident in victory, seemed already to enjoy the sweets and power of monarchy. The battle raged for about three hours, when, by the extraordinary exertions and achievements principally of Toobo Neuha, who, as fame reports, slew on that day forty with his own hand, the enemy became panicstruck, and fled in all directions, conquered by that arm, which, two days before, in giving Toogoo Ahoo his death, had delivered the country from a tyrant.

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 too in a dangerous war at the island of Tonga, where the loyalists 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 ex

ténded 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 loyalists 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 insured, 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 put 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 canoes, and tied hand and foot, were left gradually to sink. 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: whilst they were in this miserable situation, it is painful to relate the cruelty exercised towards them by some of the natives of the place; it must,

however, be acknowledged that the ill treatment they received was chiefly at the hands of thoughtless boys, who would stick sharp splinters of wood into their bodies, and tantalize them by showing them provisions, without giving them any. Notwithstanding their exposure to the raging heat of the sun, several of them bore their torments with the greatest fortitude, although lingering till the eighth day; others of weaker constitution died in three or four days. Ever since that time the natives of the place superstitiously believe that they can hear their groans frequently at different times during the night:—but this no doubt is 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 resembles the groans of dying people.

Finow, and his ally Toobo Neuha, after public rejoicings at Haano, embarked for Vavaoo, where they were allowed to land without opposition. The people of Vavaoo, 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;

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