140 GEUISE OF THE 'GUBAgOA.' 



fits of civilization ; lience it may be asserted without fear of 

 error, tliat the cause of progress in these islands is to be 

 found exclusively in the king's personal influence, and the 

 example which he sets. Taxation is exceedingly heavy ; on 

 defiiult of payment a man's whole property becomes forfeit 

 to the government. There is a poll-tax of four dollars 

 annually. 



The Tongans were the first in the Western Pacific to 

 embrace Christianity, and this has been in no small degree 

 the cause of the vast influence which they possess over their 

 neighbours, whom they furnished with their first teachers. 

 In spite of this the Tongans, who have been in commercial 

 relations with the whites for more than thirty years, decrease 

 every year their demands for European merchandize. They 

 have not left off the use of their native stuffs, and they prefer 

 paying their debts by the sale of their lands to discharging 

 them by any sort of labour whatever, by the preparation of 

 oil for instance. 



The intercourse between the Tongans and the Fijians has 

 cfiven rise to a cross breed which combines the leadins; 

 characteristics of the two people. This mixed race, which 

 occupies the windward Fiji Islands, always takes part witli 

 the Tongans in any discussions which occur between the two 

 groups. Moreover, three islands of the Fiji group belong to 

 the Tonga Islands, the supremacy of which they have recog- 

 nized for several generations ; these are the islands of Moalo, 

 Mataku, and Vanua-Lava. Though there are not more than 

 two hundred Tongans in the Fiji Islands, the superiority 



