36 TONGATABOO. 



to secure the article desired ; for if their price is at once acceded to, 

 they consider their bargain is a bad one. No inducement is suffi- 

 cient for them to part with several articles of a kind at once ; each 

 must be disposed of separately, and on all, a like chaffering must be 

 gone through with. The natives, before they bring articles for sale, 

 fix their minds upon something they desire to obtain, and if that is 

 not to be had, they take their things away again, it matters not 

 whether the article is equivalent in value or not. Mr. Vanderford, 

 who has been here several times since 1810, told me " he had never 

 found the Tonga people such saucy fellows." 



During our stay here, we were much incommoded by the mus- 

 quitoes. I never saw them more troublesome ; and for three or four 

 nights the officers and men obtained no sleep, which, added to the 

 excessive heat, was overpowering, after the fatigues of a day spent in 

 surveying. I never saw the men look as much fatigued when the 

 day dawned ; some of them declared that the musquitoes had bitten 

 through every thing but their boots and hats ; they even sought 

 shelter in the tops and cross-trees, hoping thus to escape the attacks 

 of these tormentors ; the ship was so filled with them, that she was 

 (not unaptly) likened to a musical-box. Their attacks bade defiance 

 to all defences in the way of musquito-nets; night observations became 

 almost impracticable in consequence of this intolerable annoyance, and 

 I felt quite desirous for the time of our departure from the island to 

 arrive. 



On the 1st of May, our observations and surveying duties being 

 completed, the instruments were embarked, and the boats hoisted in. 

 A new difficulty now arose ; for I was informed that the native pilots 

 had received a message from the kino- forbidding them to take the 

 ships through the reefs; and although we needed their services but little, 

 yet I thought it was a circumstance that required some investigation. 

 I however gave orders to weigh anchor; but, while in the act of doing 

 so, the Porpoise was reported as in sight : I therefore awaited her 

 joining company. She had been detained in consequence of light, 

 variable winds ; had seen nothing of Vasquez Island, but had sighted 

 Pylstart's Island. 



We found that the crew of the Porpoise had been, as well as 

 ourselves, affected by the epidemic influenza, and that one case (that 

 of David Bateman the marine) was somewhat serious ; we therefore 

 received him on board the Vincennes, for his better accommodation. 



In the afternoon we ran down to the anchorage, off Nukualofa, 



