SOMU-SOMU. 143 
servatory, and in the night a musket was accidentally fired, which, of 
course, created some stir, but it proved a false alarm ; it, however, 
served to keep up our vigilance in case of attack. 
On the 26th the Flying-Fish returned, entering through the reefs 
after dark. Lieutenant Carr had executed the greater part of the 
duties pointed out in his instructions. Among these were that of car- 
rying Tubou Totai, the Tonga chief already spoken of, to the Porpoise. 
He was represented as an excellent pilot for the eastern group, and as 
likely to be of service to Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold, in pointing 
out the shoals and reefs, which might save much time in the surveying 
operations. Tubou spoke English tolerably well. He had been in 
New South Wales, and was a guest at the Government-House; talked 
much of the kindness of Sir George and Lady Gipps, and amused me 
by the accounts he gave of the balls and parties to which he had been 
invited, and of the attentions he had received, particularly from the 
ladies. He said that they had admired him very much, and called 
him a very handsome man. He knew well how to behave himself, 
was well acquainted with our habits and customs, and had all the grace 
and elegance of a finished gentleman, if one can imagine such a being 
in a Tongese Islander. I have, indeed, seldom seen a native so correct 
in his deportment. He was a professing Christian, and might be 
called more than half civilized. He talked much to me of the gentle- 
men of Ambau; said “ they were such fine fellows, so hospitable, and 
such gentlemen; there was so much pleasure in their society; there 
was nothing like Feejee fashions.” I spoke to him of their eating human 
flesh, but he could not be brought to talk of it, and invariably refused 
to answer my questions in relation to that horrible custom, except as 
regarded himself. He said that he never touched it. At times he 
would evade the question by saying, “ Feejee country was a fine 
country,” and be silent. 
Tubou Totai is the brother of Lajika, who is generally an attendant 
of the preaching of the missionaries.* The brothers are somewhat 
alike in point of face and feature, but Lajika is much darker in com- 
plexion, and seems to have some Feejee blood in his veins. I learned 
from one of the missionaries that the family of these Tongese was of 
Feejee origin, their name being derived from the principal fortress on 
Lakemba, called Tumboa. They are well received in the group, and 
hospitably entertained by the kings and chiefs of Ambau. The minor 
* The proselytes of the missionaries consist altogether of the few Tongese that are now 
in the group; these reside principally at Lakemba, and from what I understood are the fol- 
lowers of Lajika and Tubou Totai. 
