40 TONGATABOO. 
excited at the sight of these poor defenceless creatures, who were 
desirous to return to their native island, and who had made such 
strenuous efforts to accomplish their wishes; but my public duty was 
too well defined for me to allow their tears and entreaties to prevail 
over higher considerations. 
The intercourse between the Feejee and Tonga Islanders, has been 
of late years frequent; the latter are more inclined to leave their 
homes than the former, and when a Tongese has once visited the 
Feejee Group and returns safely, he is looked upon as a traveller. In 
Tonga they consider and look up to the Feejee Islanders as more 
polished, and their opinions are viewed with much respect; this, one 
not only observes in their conversation, but they show it in adopting 
their manners and customs, and the attention and deference they pay 
to the opinions of those who have visited or belong to that group; 
from them they obtain their canoes, and have learned the art of sailing 
and navigating them; and from the situation of their islands, being 
more exposed to a rough ocean, they are probably now better and 
more adventurous navigators. This intercourse is kept up more par- 
ticularly with the eastern islands of the Feejees: at Lakemba we 
found many of them residing. When Cook visited this group, little 
was known of the Feejees. Thirty years afterwards, during the time 
Mariner resided on the Tonga Islands, the intercourse and informa- 
tion had become greater and more accurate; and at the period of our 
visit, we heard of many things that were passing in that group as 
familiar topics; and we found among them many Tongese who were 
enjoying the hospitality of their western neighbours. The prevailing 
winds are in favour of the intercourse on the side of the Tongese, 
which may in some measure account for it; and the favour with which 
they have always been received, and the flattering accounts those who 
returned have given of their reception, may in some measure account 
for the desire they always evince to pay the Feejee Group a visit. In 
a very few years, through the intercourse that will be brought about 
by the missionaries, there will be as much passing to and fro between 
them, as there is now among the several islands of either group, which 
will have a great tendency to advance the civilization of both. 
Previous to my departure, a sailor by the name of Tom Granby 
desired to have a passage to the Feejees, and although I entertained 
always much suspicion of the vagabonds who frequent the different 
islands, Tom’s countenance was so very prepossessing, and his modesty 
as to his capabilities as a pilot such as to satisfy me that he was not 
one of the runaways or convicts; he was, besides, as he informed me, 
a resident of the island of Ovolau. I had already made up my mind 
