lyO VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



fucceedcdhis father, and the other Tuttafaihe; 

 and two daughters, the one named Tineh^ and the 

 other Nanatchee. When Poulaho died, he left a 

 fon very young, named Futlafaihe-. the King's 

 brother then took the reins of government, but 

 he died fliortly after, and the fovereignty palT- 

 cd toTineh, his eldcfh filler ; Ihe enjoyed its ho- 

 nours, without, however, exercifing its power, 

 with which it appears that women cannot be in- 

 verted : the fupreme authority paffed into the 

 hands of a chief named Toobou, brother to Ti~ 

 rielf^ mother. This Queen had married Ovea, 

 one of the chiefs of Toufou, who had repudi- 

 ated her, after having had two fons by her, 

 namely, Vcaicou and Veatchee, 



It, therefore, appears, that the fucceflion to 

 the throne palTes to the brothers and fifters be- 

 fore it devolves to the children of the princes 

 v/ho have reigned; and whenever women arc 

 inverted with the fovereignty, the excrcife of 

 authority is entrurted to one of the nearert 

 male relations of their mother, but only during 

 the life of the Queen. The family of Toohu 

 will preferve the fupreme power during the 

 reign of 7'ineh ; and Futtafaihe, fon of Poulaho^ 

 will not afcend the throne till after the death 

 of his two aunts. Ihe royal family, at this 

 time rtripped of power, did not, on that ac- 

 count, the lefs enjoy all the honours attached to 



it. 



