O V O L A U. 59 



all his people, remarkably hairy. After presenting him to the officers, 

 and receiving the rest of his suite, I led him to the after part of the 

 deck, where mats were laid down, and we all seated ourselves to hold 

 a council ; for I was anxious to finish first the business for which I 

 had particularly sought the interview : this was to procure the adop- 

 tion of rules and regulations for the intercourse with foreign vessels, 

 similar to those established in the Samoan Group the year preceding. 

 David Whippy became my interpreter, but Tanoa had too much dig- 

 nity about him to receive the interpretation through Whippy alone, 

 although he understood all that he said perfectly, for Whippy speaks 

 their language well; bat he had his "speech-explaining counsellor," 

 Malani-vanua Vakanduna, or prime minister, who was a remarkably 

 good-looking, intelligent man. Whippy gave his name as Korotum- 

 bavalu, and said that he had great influence with the king. It was 

 amusing to see their mode of conducting the business, and to under- 

 stand that Tanoa's dignity would be offended by holding discourse 

 with our friend Whippy as interpreter; not, however, (as it was 

 explained to me by Tubou Totai,) from any objection he had to 

 Whippy, but it would be derogatory to his rank and station. 



On the production of the rules and regulations, Tanoa seemed rather 

 confused, and at first appeared dull and stupid ; this I imputed to his 

 ava drinking, in which they had all indulged to excess the night 

 before. He did not seem to comprehend the object of them, or, as the 

 interpreter expressed it, " could not take the idea." This is not to be 

 wondered at, when it is considered that this was the first act of the 

 kind he had been called upon to do. Tubou Totai being a traveller 

 of some note, readily understood their meaning, and through his ex- 

 planations Tanoa soon comprehended the object, and listened with 

 attention (his whole suite sitting around) to the reading of them, 

 sentence by sentence ; after which he made signs of understanding 

 them, and gave his approval and consent to having them established, 

 and the next day signed them, by making his mark. (See Appendix 

 V.) That which he was to keep I had rolled up and put into a 

 bright round tin case, which he seemed to regard with great pride. 



Although I did not anticipate much immediate good from these 

 regulations, yet I was well satisfied they would be of use in re- 

 straining the natives as well as masters of ships, and in securing a 

 better understanding between them ; at any rate it was a beginnino-, 

 and would make them feel we were desirous of doing them justice. I 

 talked to him much, through the interpreter, of the necessity of pro- 



