TONGATABOO. 27 
allowed to smoke, although they use large quantities of ava, made of 
the Piper mythisticum, which has more intoxicating and deleterious 
effects than tobacco. So singular an interdiction of the one, with the 
free use of the other, induced me to ask Mr. Tucker the reason of it, 
and why, if they had only the power to prevent the use of one, they 
did not prohibit the most pernicious? The only answer I got was, 
that it would be a pity to break up their ava circles. I believe that 
few rise from them without being somewhat stupified, but it does not 
amount to actual intoxication. The manner in which these natives 
use tobacco is one of the most pleasing of their social customs, and 
shows an absence of all selfishness; it is the same as at the Samoan 
Group, where the person who lights a pipe seldom gets more than two 
whiffs of its contents, as it is immediately passed around. 
As a people they may be termed warlike; and war-councils, making 
speeches, and drinking ava, may be called the business of their lives. 
The women are said to be virtuous; their employments are to make 
tapa, mats, baskets, &c., and do the housework. The men cultivate 
the ground, and fish. The females are more in the habit of using 
lime-water and lime on their hair than those we have seen elsewhere. 
This application turns it red, but its chief use is to promote cleanliness. 
Of the ingenuity of the men we saw many proofs, in their manufacture 
of boxes, baskets, and miniature canoes. 
The last day I visited Nukualofa, Mr. Tucker was kind enough to 
take me to see Tamahaa, the aunt of Tui Tonga, who is considered 
of divine origin, for which reason great respect and honours are paid 
her. It is said that she has great influence with the heathen, although 
being a convert, she is favourable to the Christian side. As a token 
of the great respect with which she is regarded, it was remarked that 
the natives never turn the back upon her until at thirty or forty feet 
distance, and never eat in her presence. She is old enough to remem- 
ber the arrival of Cook when she was a child. We found her sitting 
in her house, with a child who could just walk, (both enclosed in a 
rolled screen, before described,) whom she was feeding with cocoa- 
nut pulp. We shook hands and sat some time with her, making many 
inquiries about the former persons of the island, which the entertain- 
ing volumes of Dr. Martin, relating the adventures of Mariner, had 
made me acquainted with. She seemed to know Togi Uummea, the 
name by which Mariner was known, and also most of the people 
mentioned in Mariner’s account. 
On a visit to the missionaries, I found Tubou or King Josiah, who 
had been sitting for his picture, and had fallen fast asleep. Wishing 
to get some information from him, I felt desirous of waking him up, 
