GENERAL ACCOUNT HEDLEY. 43 



ocean with a basket of sand on his back, and wherever some ran 

 out an island sprang up."* Under a slightly different guise the 

 latter version of the genesis was repeated at Niutao. 



A native tradition related to me names the Kaounga as the 

 first inhabitants of Funafuti and tells that they swam from Samoa. 

 According to Newell a similar legend prevailed in Vaitupu. 

 Among the Kaounga were the chiefs Toa, Touiriki and Moroti, 

 the names of the two former are still perpetuated by the localities 

 in Funafuti called after them. According to Newell, "The people 

 are descended from Samoans, known to posterity as Lafai, Le Fe'e 

 (cuttlefish), Sa Seve (the clan of Seve), and two others, five clans 

 in all." 



The following account of the ruling dynasty was given to me, 

 through the interpretation of Mr. O'Brien, by the present king of 

 Funafuti. Terematua, he said, was the first king of Funafuti ; 

 he was succeeded by his eldest son, Kisosunga ; and he by his 

 eldest son Tiro, and he by his son Tiro the Second. A system 

 long prevailed on the island of government by a king and sub- 

 ordinate chief. The latter succeeding to the supreme office on 

 the death of the former and being succeeded in the subordinate 

 position by the late king's son. 



"The so-callod king of Fakaofo bears the title of "ariki" 

 (Samoan, alii = chief), and is the only person until quite recently so 

 described. The " ariki " is always the oldest male member of the 

 four principal families of Fakaofo, all of whom trace their descent 

 from the two brothers above referred to namely Kava and Pi'o. 

 When the "ariki" dies the oldest man then living among these 

 four families becomes "ariki." No others possess this title, and 

 there are no clan names or titles outside this circle. The Samoaii 

 custom of conferring the name of the head of the family upon 

 the heir does not exist in the Tokelaus."f An arrangement 

 resembling this seems latterly to have prevailed in Funafuti. 

 Turner says of Funafuti,! "The kingship alternated in four or 

 five leading families, and when one king died, another was chosen 

 by the family next in turn." Whitmee says of Niutao "the king 

 and chief have sole authority on the island. Although the king 

 has the higher title, he pays great deference to the chief, and they 

 live on excellent terms with each other." 



Now Tiro the Second and Tibouro were kings together. And 

 Tibouro was killed by his brother Ningi, who assumed the king- 

 ship but was killed by a spirit a fortnight afterwards. Takamiti 

 succeeded Ningi. The next king was Palou, the son of Tibouro, 

 who was followed by Touassa. In Touassa's reign the land was 



* Turner loc. cvt. t Newell loc. ci*. 



J Loc. cvt., p. 282. Whitmee loc. tit., p, 22. 



