The venerable Moomooe, the principal chief of the island, or Dugonagaboola, made a friendly offer of a habitation and land to the missionaries at Aheefo, 17 miles from the place of anchorage, and near the residence of Toogahowe, a principal chief, that they might be under his protection. This offer was of course gladly accepted, and ten of the missionaries landed, conveyed their baggage to their future abode, and consecrated it with hymns and praises to God. The feelings with which they beheld the Duff sail back to Europe are powerfully expressed in the following Among the European articles which they carried out with them, nothing excited the astonishment of the Tongas more than a cuckoo-clock, which, when they heard, they listened to in mute surprise. They called it accoulair, i. e. " wood that speks;" and one being presented to Duatonga, he took it home, and, being curious to examine it, he took it to pieces; just as a child cuts open the top of his drum to see what makes the noise: he could not, however, put it together again; neither could any of the missionaries; and this drew great ridicule upon them. After they had been a short time on the island, the missionaries separated from each other, removing to different parts, and putting themselves under the protection of different chiefs. Our hero placed himself under that of Mulkaamair, a potent chief, and one who had already proved himself the friend of the missionaries. From this period, the narrative concerns the author alone, who, instead of evangelizing the natives, gave in to all their licentious customs, adopt ed their dress, cohabited with their women, and partook of their amusements. The moral notions of Mr. V. could not arm him against the "tremendously alluring scenes," as he calls them, which were familiar at Tongataboo; and, from the dark and repeated hints which he throws out, we are left to suppose that he plunged, unreservedly, into every species of excess. It is true he was not without occasional compunctious visitings of consence, but he sees to have possessed a wonderful facility in quieting those impertinent and troublesome admonitions. He still went on, groaning now and then in the spirit, but not making a single effort to abandon his vicious course; and there is reason to believe that he would have continued his life of lazy luxury and effeminate debauchery, sucking his sugar-canes and drinking his cocoamilk, till now, if the disastrous war had not broke out, in which some of bis brethren were killed, and from which fate Mr. V. himself narrowly escaped. It is very amusing to see him alternately describing his sensual delights and his spiritual pains. We shall now introduce the reader ners, customs, diversions, &c. of the to some acquaintance with the manTongas. The habitation of the chief with whom our author resided is thus described: "The house of Mulkaamair, with whom I resided, was very spacious, its length was fifty feet. It was of an oval form. One large and lofty post was fixed in the centre; and round it, in an oval circle, were placed less posts, at equal distances, which formed the sides of the habitation. Upon these posts layers were fixed, to which rafters were fastened, that extended to the pillar in the middle, and united the whole building with it. The inside of the roof was ornamented with warm beautiful matting, which was sheltered on the outside with a skilful intertexture of the branches of the plantain tree. In the rainy weather, screens of matting, called Takkabou, made of branches of the cocoa-nuttree, were fastened to the side posts, which almost reached the eaves, and left only the door-way open, which was never closed, night nor day. "Such spacious habitations are necessary for the chiefs, whose household, in general, is large, as composed of many attendants. But there are generally small apartments contiguous to the house, in which his wives and children lodge. One of his wives, however, for the most part, slept with him in the same room, in a space, separated from the rest by inclosures of Takkabou, or matting, three feet high, fitted up to the beams, that went across to the centre post, to keep it upright. 'The household of Mulkaamair was considerable. He had at different times from four to eight wives, eight sons and five daughters, besides many attendants. The children were all in great subjection to him, and of different rank and dignity, according to the rank of their respective mothers. For family dignity, "in Tongataboo, descends not from the father, but the mother, owing, it is probable, to the frequency of divorce, and of illicit intercourse. When the day declined, about seven oclock, if they were not disposed to dance, they would retire to bed, or, more properly, to recline on their matting. But when they had retired, the most social employment of the day took place. As they lay reclining at their ease, Mulkaamair and his numerous household, that lay round him, would commence conversations, that amused them till they all fell asleep. 66 "I have been delighted, for hours, in listening to these nocturnal confabulations, and often very much surprised and improved by the shrewd ness of their observations, and the good sense of their reasonings. When they were all lain down, the chief would say, "Tou tellanoa." Let us have some conversation." Another would answer, Tou tellanoa gee aha, i. e. "what shall we talk about." A third would reply, "Tou tellanoa ge papa langee." "Let us talk of the men of the sky." They called us "the men of the sky," because, observing that the sky appeared to touch the ocean, in the distant horison, and knowing that we came from an immense distance, they concluded that we must have come through the sky to arrive at Tongataboo." The following culinary process by which the kava-root is prepared for eating, did not excite any very grateful sensations in our stomachs. whole company, all sitting in the same "A large circle is formed by the posture, with their legs crossed. The side of him are stationed the tackchief sits at the head of it. On each hangers, or ministers of the chief, to superintend the preparation of the kava, The kava is then brought bemix it, by order of the tackhangers, fore the chief. The person who is to then splits the root into small pieces with a flat piece of wood, or whalebodies of dead whales that are somebone, which they procure from the times thrown upon the coast. The pieces of kava-root thus split, are then hand them to the young people among distributed amongst the circle, who them who have clean teeth, fit to chew it. Each person has a leaf by him, on which he lays his portion of masticated kava-root. When it is all chewhanded round, and they empty their ed, a large bowl with three legs, is leaves, containing the prepared kavaroot, into it. The bowl is then placed within the circle opposite the chief; 'and on each side of it are seated two keep off the flies. The person who has young men, with plantain leaves, to the management of the bowl having received the different portions of masticated root, turns it on one side to show it to the tack hangers, and with his face towards the chief, calls out to the tack hangers Gooch kava anama.' All the kava is chewed.' is sufficient for the company, they say "If the tack hangers judge that there Baloo,' 'mix it.' Then one of the persons holding the fans of plantain branches, pour water out of cocoa-nut "shells, which stand near them in readiness, while the other keeps off the flies. As he pours, the tackhanger at length calls out Moua,' i. e. stop. notes and regulates the quantity, and with water, is then squeezed by hand"The root, thus chewed, and mixed fuls held up for the tack hangers to judge of the strength of the liquor, as it falls into the dish: if it appears sufficiently strong, a strainer is brought made of the inner bark of a tree, which, when scraped thin and fine, and well washed, is laid out to dry, and becomes yery white and clean. With this they exact it of them, to drink it with their brother chiefs and their attendants. They exercise an arbitrary power over the lower orders, and have every thing belonging to them in their power which their sub-officers take from them, without ceremony, as the chief may need. Though the provision they have by them be ever so scanty, they are required to cook a part of it for their chief; so that they are frequently obliged to eat the root of the plantain-tree, for a wretched subsist ence, or to resort to the chief, and beg some food. The chief will send his attendants round the districts, in a time of scarcity, and order the people to dress a certain quantity of provisions for him by a limited time; with which he lays up a store for himself, and his wives and household; and leaves others to get what they can." strain the liquor from the masticated but seldom, as the chiefs generally kava-root. When they have repeated the straining three or four times, and perfectly cleansed it, the person who sits by the bowl calls out Tooma kava,' the kava is clean.' During this time the company, who are sitting in silence, are not idle: they form dishes in a curious and skilful manner of plantain leaves. As soon as the kava is ready, appointed persons ise from the circle with their plantain dishes, and approach the bowl. The man who mixed it then takes up a large strainer full, and another holds his dish underneath, over the great bowl, till it is filled. The former then calls out, Kava go aga.' Whose is this kava? The tacklanger replies, Havee ge Dabou. Take it to Dabou,' or to any other person whose name was mentioned. In this way, the name of every one of the company is repeated before he is served. The person whose name is pronounced, then clasps his hands, and the waiter, by this signal informed which it is, takes the kava to him. The persons serving it out to the company, conduct themselves in the most becoming and orderly manner, arranging their apparel with the greatest neatness, walking with grace, and presenting it with ceremonious politeness. If a man were to conduct himself with the least disorder or disrespect, the chief would order him to be struck down. When they present the kava to Duatonga, or any of his family, all of whom are considered sacred, they must sit down cross-legged, before they deliver it out of their hands. During the preparation of the kava, the Tomaagee, or principal servants of the chief, are busily employed in an out-house built for the purpose, in baking yams. These, as soon as ready, they bring in baskets, made of entwined leaves, and lay them be-fore the chief and the circle of guests as far as they go. They eat these vams after drinking the kava; and during their meal talk with each other, as they please, on different subjects. Bathing is a favourite amusement with the tongas. Both sexes often play together in the water at the following diversion: they fix two posts, about a hundred yards distant from each other, in a depth of water about four feet, near the shore, and midway betwixt them is placed a large stone. Then dividing into two companies, the game is, which side can first tug the stone to their own post. In playing at this diversion with them, I have seen numbers at the bottom of the water to gether, hauling and pulling the stone different ways, with all the eagerness that contending parties, in the notthern counties of England, exert themselves to drive the shinny to its goal. When a diver returned to the surface, for breath, another of his party instantly dived down to take his place. I have seen one person carry a stone of considerable weight ten or twelve yards in this game, through the buoyant aid of the water. "But they take particular delight in another amusement in the water, called Furneefoo. They go down to the flat shore, at high water, when the Whenever the lower orders can swell rolls with great force to the land. procure the kava, they always drink it and plunge in and swim some yards in companies in this festive manner; into the sea, then pushing themselves in which they often spend the two or on the top of the swell, they ride in, three first hours of the morning. close to the shore. It is astonishing They have this pleasure, however, to see with what dexterity they will steer themselves on the wave, one Mulkaamair, were not duly resisted. band being stretched out as the prow Instead of praying for grace to withbefore, and the other guiding them stand and mortify them, I began to like a rudder behind: and though. indulge in foolish imaginations, and they are riding in upon the swelling to neglect the needful exercises of billow, with a frightful rapidity, that private prayer, reading the bible, and makes you apprehend they will be meditation. These first steps out of dashed and killed upon the shore, the path of duty, which are generally they will, with surprising agility, turn taken by most backsliders, soon led themselves suddenly on one side, and me into still farther aberrations from darting back through the next wave, the right way. I began to dislike the swim out to sea, till another swell means of grace, I never visited the waft them on towards shore; when, if brethren, found delight in the cominclined to land, they will again turn pany, mauners, and amusements of themselves on one side, and, awaiting the natives, and soon took a large part the wave's return, dart through the in them. As the religious impressions refluent surge, and reach the shore of my mind were weakened, the corin safety. Several hours are often rupt dispositions of my heart gathered spent at one time in this sport, in strength. Yet, at times, my conscience which the women are as skilful as the troubled me with loud accusations of men. I never attempted this diversion inconsistency; which forced me to myself, as the trial might have been pray. At length, however, I became fatal." so hardened as to despise my convictions; and totally absented myself from those appointed periodical meetings of the brethren, which might have revived them. My regard for them daily diminished, and I left off visiting them. The dances are described as being very beautiful. The women are most graceful in figure, comely in features, have dark ringlets bespangled with aromatic flowers of peculiar whiteness, their necks and shoulders encircled with wreaths of variegated flowers tastefully strung together like beads, and their graceful limbs covered only with a thin drapery, and in some cases only shaded with an entwined garland of gee-leaves. No wonder Mr. V. describes these dances with so much enthusiasm: and after the description comes the following penitential declaration.. "My evil inclinations, now unchecked by law, and by the reverential sense of the Divine Being, gradually gained the dominion. As my sense of the turpitude and guilt of sin was weakened, the vices of the natives appeared less odious and criminal.After a time, I was induced to yield to their allurements, to imitate their manners, and to join them in their sins. The "Accustomed to these scenes of its moralizing charm; and it was not Modesty, by degrees, lost with me pleasure, luxury, and amusement, long ere I disincumbered myself of my unrestrained by the presence of my European garment, and contented companions, unassisted by any public myself with the native dress. means of grace, having singly to stem dress of the chiefs principally conthe torrent of iniquity, it was not long sisted of a piece of cloth, several yards before I felt the pernicious influence in extent, wrapped round the body, of general example. This, however, and fastened by a peculiar kind of was much owing to my own negligence knot, below the bosom, whence it hung of private duties, and my vielding to down loose below the knee. This dress, the corrupt inclinations of my sinful nature. Indeed, when I look back, sufficiently long to throw the upper by being tied close with a belt, was I perceive that the unsubdued pro- part over the shoulders. But however pensities of my heart, which began to this was done at other times, it was aloperate before I came to reside with ways thrown off the shoulders whenever a chief came in sight. The women were not excused from this bu miliating token of submission, as long as they were in presence of a chief. 2 E Sometimes, dance with perfect freedom, they threw of even this seeming covering. UNIVERSAL MAG. VOL. XIV. A person who should neglect this would be instantly struck to the ground, as guilty of the greatest disrespect." Our author next cohabits with a handsome young girl, in her 18th year, (Mr. Veeson seems to have had a tolerably good judgment in these matters), and when his brother missionaries wish to marry him to her, and explain to the lady the nature of that institution, particularly that nothing but death could dissolve the bond, she would not consent to the ceremony. Tongataboo is the finest place in the world to receive a broken head in; for we are told, at p. 127, of a poor fellow who had his head laid open with a club, and left some of his brains on a tree against which he fell, and, having it bound up, was soon able to walk, as if nothing had happened. "So wonderfully," says the author, "does the fine climate of the South lagoon or arm of the sea, a quarter of a mile across. This I crossed the next day, to enjoy the new delight, never before experienced, of viewing an estate of my own. With what joy did I contemplate its little pendent groves of cocoa and plantain trees, and its smooth lawns, diversified by little ha bitations, which contained the peaceful natives, who now became my subjects and labourers to cultivate my fields for their own subsistence and mine! I visited them, and informed then I wished that they would remain with me: but they were timid, and appeared unwilling to stay, on account of the ill usage which other natives had met with from the Europeans, before mentioned, whom they served. I encouraged them by kind words and behaviour, and at length prevailed upon Sea islands, and the temperance and activity of the natives, conduce to promote and recruit the health of the a human frame." If a man could always choose where he would have his pate split, he would certainly select Tongataboo. In process of time, our author becomes a landed proprietor, and thinks more of his sugar-canes and cocoatrees than of diffusing the tidings of the Gospel. His account, however, of his situation at this time is sufficiently fascinating to induce a disciple of Rousseau to forsake civilization for South-Sea happiness: them to continue with me. estate so small as fifteen acres should "It may appear surprising that an contain the cottages of labourers: but taboo was throughout cultivated like it should be considered that Tonga garden, and that the cocoa-nut and plantain trees, upon a small extent of ground, were sufficient to support many inhabitants. My little domain was bounded, on one side, by the channel beforemile across, and separated it from mentioned, which was a quarter of a Mooa, my former residence. I received supplies of provisions from Mulkaamair, and set about the cul tivation of my little territory with all possible diligence: planted cocoa and plantain trees with the assistance of my tenants, and hoped, ere long, to eat the produce of my own industry. Omataanee was not far from a fallee, or mansion of Dugonagaboola, the principal chief, at which he occasionally resided. Betwixt him and Mulkaamair, there always subsisted a jealousy; for which the reader of the former pages can easily account, from their having been rivals for power. "Ambition of distinction and the desire of wealth now began to excite me to exertion. I employed my thoughts in devising plans to provide a comfortable settlement in the island, and became very desirous of a portion of land to myself, that by my own industry I might render myself independent. At this time a neighbouring chief wished to dispose of a tract of land; "It was the custom of the inferior my chief, Mulkaamair, purchased the chiefs, to send men, two or three times estate for me, with a spade, an ax, a a week, tofadongyeer,' i. e. to dig, small native canoe, and a couple of plant, and labour for Dugonagaboola. knives. This was the whole price Sometimes five hundred of these trigiven for the purchase of the abbee, butary labourers were at work, at the or farm of Omataanee. It contained same time, on his estate. That no ofabout fifteen acres, and was separated fence might be given, I applied to from the estate of Mulkaamair by a him to excuse my services. He laughed |