3 o 4 THE CORAL LANDS OF THE PACIFIC. 



velocity they arrived at Samoa. Here they stayed for two or 

 three days, and soon afterwards reached Tonga, where in 

 course of a short time they all died, not as a punishment, but 

 as a natural consequence, the air of Bolotoo being the certain 

 cause of a speedy death. 



The Tongan gods were as follows : Tali-Toobo (literally, 

 * Wait there, Toobo '). This personage was a god of war. 

 Tuifua Bolotoo, or chief of all Bolotoo, and supreme god of 

 that place. Alo Alo (literally, ' to fan '), who took charge of 

 wind, weather, rain and harvests. Tangaloa, god of artificers 

 and arts ; and a few others. The Tongan account of the 

 creation is very much akin to that given by the Maori of New 

 Zealand. 



One day, many years ago, Tangaloa, intent on fishing, let 

 down his hook and line from the sky into the wide expanse of 

 ocean that then only existed. Suddenly he felt a great resist- 

 ance, and believing that he had caught a gigantic fish, he 

 exerted his utmost strength, and presently there appeared 

 above the surface several points of rock, which increased in 

 number and extent the more he drew in his line. The rocky 

 bottom of the ocean in which it was now evident his hook had 

 caught was thus fast advancing to the surface, and would have 

 made one vast continent, when unfortunately the line broke, 

 and the islands of Tonga remained to show the imperfection 

 of Tongaloa's earth-fishing. The rock in which the hook was 

 fixed was already above the surface, and used to be shown to 

 the curious in one of the islands. The hook was in the posses- 

 sion of the Tui tonga family till about 100 years ago, when it 

 was accidentally burnt with the house in which it was kept. 

 Tongaloa soon made his islands something like Bolotoo, but of 

 course very inferior, the trees, flowers, and plants being subject 

 to decay and death. Being willing that Tonga should also be 



