TONGATABOO, 21 
tory, the natives passed to the shore. I received them in my tent, and 
the first words spoken were to inform me that they had come to the 
conference; and they asked where their adversaries were? Being 
well aware that they had avoided coming the day before, and had 
gone out to make battle, instead of coming as appointed to the meet- 
ing, and that they knew the chiefs of Moa had returned, I took care to 
let them know that I was not to be imposed upon by such a trick. 
When they saw they could not deceive me, they seemed disposed to 
laugh it off; but finding that their chiefs and warriors (upwards of one 
hundred) were all armed, I took care to retort upon them for their 
want of confidence, and to tell them how unlike it was to their pro- 
fession of Christianity, and that they must show a proper disposition, 
before the white people would give them any credit for being Chris- 
tians. I then took the two kings with me on board the ship, leaving 
their canoe to follow. Shortly after we had embarked, King George’s 
followers, finding a canoe on the beach owned by three natives of 
Rotuma, who reside at Moa, stole the paddles out of it, turned it over, 
and set it adrift. On making it known to King George, however, he 
promised recompense, but would not punish or seek to find out the 
perpetrators of the deed. I felt provoked that the king should not 
have had more control over them. He in truth seems to exercise very 
little power over his people. The kings were shown over the ship, 
and several guns were fired, which they pretended to wonder at very 
much. 
They remained on board upwards of an hour, and took lunch with 
me. I was much amused with their conduct; they ate heartily of 
every thing on the table, and finally crammed themselves with 
almonds and raisins, with a most unkingly appetite. They then 
requested leave to take some to their wives, which they tied up in the 
corner of their tapas. Before they left the ship, I presented King 
George (in the name of the government) with a handsome fowling- 
piece, and King Josiah with a red silk umbrella, which highly de- 
lighted him. ‘Their majesties were both naked, except the tapa wound 
around their waists; and it was a curious sight to see them endea- 
vouring to imitate us in the use of knives and forks. They lett the 
ship highly delighted with their presents and visit, embarked in their 
canoe, and proceeded to Nukualofa, all joining again in the same 
chorus. The canoe was nearly level with the water, and appeared 
like a floating mass of human beings. 
Thus ended my hopes of effecting the desired reconciliation between 
the two parties. The heathen are represented by the Christian party 
and missionaries, as a set of cruel savages, great liars, treacherous, 
