278 
A VOYAGE TO 
CHAP. VIL 
Friendly Reception at Tongataboo.—Manner of dijlributing a 
baked Hog and Kava to Poulahds Attendants.—The Ob- 
fervatory , &c. creeled.—The Village where the Chiefs refide , 
and the adjoining Country , defcribed.—Interviews with Ma- 
reewagee , and Toobou, and the King's Son.—A grand 
Haiva , or Entertainment of Songs and Dances , given by 
Mareewagee.—Exhibition of Fireworks.—Manner of Wreft- 
ling and Boxing.—Diflribution of the Cattle.—Thefts com¬ 
mitted by the Natives. — Poulaho , and the other Chiefs , con¬ 
fined on that Account. — Poulaho's Prefent , and Haiva. 
1777. O O O N after we had anchored, having firft dined, I 
_ landed, accompanied by Omai, and fome of the Of- 
Tuefday 10. ficers. We found the king waiting for us upon the beach. 
He, immediately, conduced us to a fmall neat houfe, fitu- 
ated a little within the fkirts of the wood, with a fine large 
area before it. This houfe, he told me, was at my fervice, 
during our flay at the illand; and a better fituation we 
could not wifh for. 
We had not been long in the houfe, before a pretty large 
circle of the natives were affembled before us, and feated 
upon the area. A root of the kava plant being brought, and 
laid down before the king, he ordered it to be fplit into 
pieces, and diflributed to feveral people of both fexes, who 
began the operation of chewing if; and a bowl of their fa¬ 
vourite 
t r 
