TONGATABU. 129 



' A woi ceri caki ! ' ' Stand up ! ' While the man obeys, the 

 herald offers prayer thus : — 



' Me loma vinaka na kalou 

 A lutu mada na tokalau.' ' 



The cup-bearer, in a stooping attitude, presents the cup 

 to the king, who pours out a few drops — the libation — and 

 then drinks, while the whole company chant, ' Ma-nai-di-na: 

 La-ba-si-ye : a-ta-mai-ye : ai-na-ce-a-toka : Wo-ya ! yi ! yi ! 

 yi! ' All now clap their hands together, producing a quick 

 and merry measure, finishing abruptly. The triple yi ! is 

 uttered in a high key, and followed by a shout, in which 

 the people round the house join ; those who are more 

 distant catch and repeat the sound, until it is carried far 

 beyond the boundaries of the town. Not to shout would 

 be considered disloyal. 



After the king, the herald names the next in rank, who 

 notifies his position by slowly clapping his hands twice or 

 thrice, and the cup-bearer carries him his draught, which, 

 whether it measure one half pint or three, is drained with- 

 out pausing. Other individuals are named in the same way, 

 until all have had their morning cup. There are some 

 variations in the details of this ceremony in different locali- 

 ties, but the main features are the same. 



During our stay, the commodore presided at a distribution 

 of prizes among the children of all the Protestant schools, 

 assembled for the occasion. Arrangements were made to 



^to^ 



' ' Let tlie gods be of a gracious mind, and send a wind from the 

 east.' 



K 



