TONGATABOO. 7 
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 Kooa 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 Tonga- 
taboo 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 Reverend 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, J 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 particu- 
larly 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 fortification, and up a 
gentle acclivity, on. the top of which is now the Mission church, and 
the house of King Tubou. On our way up we passed by the drum, or 
as it is here called, toki, which is a large hollow log, not unlike a pig- 
trough, made of hard, sonorous wood; it is struck with a mallet. 
