An Account of the Natives of the Tonga Islands, in the South Pacific Ocean - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1820 edition. Excerpt: ...Thf conference here ended. A short time after, the prince, whilst refleeting on the words of the oracle, was addressed by a woman, who was sitting behind him in waiting, and who was much respected by the late king and his family, on account of her having given him some information respecting a real or supposed conspiracy, oa the part of the Vavaoo chiefs; (Booboonoo, Cacahoo, and others, who were seized in consequence at Macave, and afterwards put to death:) This woman remarked to the prince that his father, just before he was taken ill, had sent two men to her to procure a rope, (she having the care of a store-house,) with orders to bring it to him secretly. These two men, whose names were Toohengi and Boboto, (the former the son of Toobo Boogoo a priest, the latter a cook,) happening now to be present, the prince turned to them, and asked if they knew the purpose for which his father wanted this rope;--whom he meant to bind with it?--Hearing this question, Mr. Mariner, who was sitting close to him, exclaimed " What! did you not know that he intended to bind and afterwards to kill Toobo Tea, the priest of Toobo Totai, to be revenged on this god for not bringing about his daughter's recovery?"t This fact was afterwards confirmed by other persons, and particularly by certain warriors, who had actually received orders to seize Toobo Tea, and murder him. Thus was a plan of sacrilegious wickedness brought to light, which made all those who now heard it for the first time shudder at the mere thought: " No wonder!" (for such was the general exclamation) " no wonder that he died! a chief with such dreadful intentions!" Mr. Mariner then stated, in addition, that he had heard the king say more than once, (a few days before he died,) " How...