336 A V O Y A G E T a 



CHAP. IX. 



jj grand Solemnity^ called Natche, in Honour of the 

 Kings Son^ performed. — The Procejfwns and other Ce- 

 remonies^ during the jirjl Day^ dejcribed. — ""The Man- 

 72er of faffing the Night at the Kings Houfe. — Cvnti^m- 

 ation of the Solemnity^ the next Day, — ConjeEiures about 

 the Nature of it. — Departure from 'Tongataboo^ ajid 

 Arrival at Eooa, — Account of that If and ^ and Tranf- 

 aSlions there, 



i-j-j-j. WJ "^ were now ready to fail ; but the wind being Eaft- 

 . ■^"'^' . W erly, we had not fufficient day Hght to turn through 

 Sunday 6. ^|^g narrows, either with the morning, or with the evening 



flood ; the one falHng out too early, and the other too late. 



So that, without a leading wind, we were under a neceflity 



of wahing two or three days. 



I took the opportunity of this delay, to be prefent at a 

 public folemnity, to which the king had invited us, when 

 we went laft to vifit him, and which, he had informed us, 

 was to be performed on the 8th. With a view to this, he 

 and all the people of note, quitted our neighbourhood on 

 Monday 7. the 7th, and repaired to Mooa, where the folemnity was to 

 Tuefday 8. be exhibited. A party of us followed them, the next morn- 

 ing. We underftood, from what Poulaho had faid to us, 

 that his fon and heir was now to be initiated into certain 

 X privileges ; 



