TONGATABOO. 7 



under her, and we proceeded on to the anchorage off Nukualofa, the 

 residence of King Josiah, alias Tubou. In our survey of the above 

 passage, no shoal was found in the place where the ship had struck, 

 and we had the satisfaction of knowing that we had destroyed it 

 without injury to the vessel. 



The tender had arrived before us, and I found also here the British 

 vessel Currency Lass. This harbour, when it is reached, is a safe 

 one, and is well protected by the reefs. 



Nukualofa is a station of the Wesleyan Mission, the heads of which, 

 Messrs. Tucker and Rabone, paid me a visit, and from them I learnt 

 that the Christian and Devil's parties were on the point of hostilities ; 

 that Taufaahau or King George, of Vavao, had arrived with eight 

 hundred warriors, for the purpose of carrying on the war, and putting 

 an end to it. 



The islands of Tongataboo and Eooa are the two southern islands 

 of the Hapai Group (the Friendly Isles of Cook) : the former is a 

 low, level island, while that of Eooa is high. The highest part of 

 Tongataboo is only sixty feet above the level of the sea, while that of 

 Eooa rises about six hundred feet : the strait between them is eight 

 miles wide. Tonga is extremely fruitful, and covered with foliage, and 

 contains ten thousand inhabitants ; while that of Eooa is rocky and 

 barren, and contains only two hundred inhabitants. 



Believing that I might exert an influence to reconcile the parties, 

 and through my instrumentality restore the blessings of peace, I 

 proffered my services to that effect, which were warmly accepted 

 by the Rev. Mr. Tucker. I therefore sent a message to the chiefs 

 of the Christian party, to meet me in fono in the morning ; and late 

 at night received a notice that they would be prepared to receive me. 

 On the morning of the 24th, I landed, with all the officers that could 

 be spared from other duties : we were received on the beach by Mr. 

 Tucker, and were at once surrounded by a large number of natives. 

 It was impossible not to be struck with the great difference between 

 these people and those we had just left in New Zealand : nothing of 

 the morose and savage appearance so remarkable there, was seen ; 

 here all was cheerfulness and gaiety ; all appeared well fed and well 

 formed, with full faces and muscles. The number of children 

 particularly attracted our notice, in striking contrast to the New 

 Zealand groups, where few but men were seen. In a few minutes 

 we heard the native drum calling the warriors and people together : 

 we went a short distance along the beach, passed into the fortifica- 



