, Mariner** M Tonga 1 ilanrt*.'* 

 m King jJmh. 



TONGATAHUO. 



Interview with Kiuff Cico^r. 

 Native fouo. 



unlike ft tlistimt gong, nI 'd Hi is said may be heard 

 from seven to ten miles. 



Fnim the top of this lull (ssixty feet high, and 

 the most elevated point on the island) there is jui 

 extensive vie\v, over the island on one hand, and 

 on the other over the encircling reefs and the deep 

 blue sea. I felt familiar with the semes around 

 me, from the description I had often raid in 

 Mariner's Tonga Islands, and feel great pleasure 

 in continuing the admirable and accurate descrip- 

 tion i litre given. The names we heard were fa- 

 miliar to us, and wc found, through the natives 

 and missionaries, that many of the descendants of 

 the persons of whom lie speaks were present, 



1 Wfti within fiW fortification of Nukualofa, the 

 scene of many of the exploits which Mariner re- 

 lates. I was now surrounded by large numbers of 

 warriors, all grotesquely dressed and ready for the 

 light, with clubs, s[K?ars, and muskets. In addi- 

 tion to the usual lapa around their waist, they had 

 yellow and straw-coloured ribands, made of the 

 pandainis-Jeaves, tied around their arms above the 

 elbows, OD their logs above and helow the knees, 

 nod on their bodies: some had them tied and 

 gathered up in knots; others wore them as scarfs 

 — soin»« on the right shoulder, some on the left, and 

 others on both shoulders. .Some of these sashes 

 were beautifully white, about three inches wide, 

 and ipiite pliable. Many of them had fanciful 

 head-dresses, some with natural and others with 

 an liei.d tl.oxer- over their turbans (culled sala); 

 ami in-arly all had their faces [uiinted in the must 

 grotesque manner, with red, yellow, white, and 

 black stripes, crossing tho face in all directions. 

 Sum* were seen with a jet black face and vermilion 

 nose; others with half the Iner painted white. 

 Whni a body of some eight hundred of these dark- 

 looking, well-formed warriors, all eager for the 

 fight, and going to and fro to join their several 

 companies, is seen, it is hardly possible to describe 

 the el feet. The scene wjis novel in the extreme, 

 and entirely unexpected, for 1 considered that we 

 were on a mission of peace. A few minutes* con- 

 versation with Mr. Tocher accounted for it all. 

 The evening before, the •'Devil's" parly, it ap- 

 peared, had attacked their yam-grounds; some of 

 the natives were wounded on both sides; and 

 great fear had been entertained that they would 

 have followed up their attack even to the town of 

 Nukmilofa; most of the warriors had, therefore, 

 been under arms the whole night. 



We were led through all this confusion to tho 

 small hut of Tubnu or King Josiah: hero we were 

 presented to his majesty, with whom I shook 

 hands. Tie was sitting on a mat winding a ball of 

 sennit, which he bad been making, and at which 

 occupation he continued for the most part of the 

 time, lie h.is the appearance of being about sixty 

 years old; his figure is tall, though much bent 

 with age; be has a tine dignified countenance, but 

 is represented a* a very imbecile old man, tit for 

 any thing but to role; as doin.-.stie and affect innate 

 in his family, caring little about the affairs of 

 government, provided he can have his children 

 aud grandchildren around him to play with, in 

 which amusement he pnsscs the most of his time. 

 Seat* were provided for us from the missionaries' 

 b 'Uses, and were placed in the hut, whose sides 

 being open, gave us a full view of all that was 

 passing without. King Josiah, with his nearest 



relatives and the highest chiefs, about ten in num- 

 ber, o 'cupied the hut, together with the missiona- 

 ries and ourselves. The warriors were grouped 

 about in little squads, in their various grotesque 

 accoutrements. 



When all was apparently ready, we waited some 

 few minutes for King George. When bo made 

 his appearance, I could not but admire him : he is 

 upwards of six feet in height, extremely well pro- 

 portioned, and athletic; his limbs are rounded and 

 full ; his features regular and manly, with a fine 

 open countenance ami sensible face ; all which 

 »eve seen (o the greatest advantage. Tho only 

 covering he wore was a huge white tapa or gnato, 

 girded in loose folds around his waist, and hanging 

 to the ground, leaving his anus ami chest quit© 

 bare, lie at once attracted all eyes ; for, on 

 approaching, every movement showed he was in 

 the habit of commanding those about him. With 

 unassuming dignity, ho quietly took his seat without 

 the hut, aud as if rather prepared to be a listener 

 than one who was to meet us in council. This 

 was afterwards explained to me by Mr. Tucker, 

 who stated that King George is not yet considered 

 a native chief of Tonga, and, notwithstanding his 

 actual power here and at Vavao, is obliged to take 

 his seal among the common people. On observing 

 his situation, ami knowing him to be the ruling 

 chief ,(,• yhrfu, 1 immediately requested that he 

 might be admitted to the hut ; and he was accord- 

 ingly requested to enter, which he did, and seated 

 himself at a respectful distance from the king, to 

 whom he showed great and marked respect, 



Mr. llabone, the assistant missionary, was the 

 interpreter, and the conversation or talk that passed 

 between us was in an undertone. Tho peculiarity 

 of figurative speech, common to all the islanders, 

 was very marked in king George, affording a con- 

 densed, or rnlher concise mode of expression, that 

 is indicative of sense aud comprehension. They 

 began by assuring me of the pleasure it gave them 

 to see me, when ilu-y were just about, going to 

 war, and were- in much trouble. I promised 

 myself as a mediator between the parties, and that 

 each party should appoint ten chiefs, to meet 

 under my direction and protection, in order to 

 arrange all the difficulties between them ; that 

 these should moot on neutral ground, on the island 

 of Pangai-Moutu, about half-way between tho 

 heathen fortress of Moa and Nukualofa. I also 

 offered to send officer* or go myself to tho heathen 

 fortress, to make a similar request of them. With 

 all this they appeared pleased, but in answer to it 

 King George simply asked, " Will they ever re- 

 turn V After a little conversation, they assented 

 to my propositions. I then took the «>cc.'u>ioii to 

 rebuke them mildly for allowing iluir followers to 

 assemble in their war-dresses, and with so many 

 warlike preparations on such an occasion, telling 

 them that I thought it indicated any thing but the 

 peaceful disposition, in the belief of the existence 

 of which I had called the meeting. The affair 

 concluded by their leaving the whole matter to mv 

 diservi'um, and with an assurance that they would 

 conform to my decision. During the half hour 

 Bpcnt in this conference, the whole multitude out- 

 side seemed as though they were transfixed to the 

 spot, awaiting in anxious expectation the result. 

 As King Josiah {who it seems is exceedingly prone 

 to somnolency) was now seen to^bo nodding, I 



