Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/127

Rh Mariner could not very well, comprehend Tooi Tooi's interpretation; but when he afterwards understood the language, the king explained to him his opinion of books and papers, and gave his reasons for that opinion, in the following account.

"Some years ago, on the arrival of an European vessel, one of the white men came to live among them by choice. This man's name was Morgan. He lived for a considerable time on terms of great friendship with the natives, and was much respected by them. Some time afterwards there came another European vessel," (the Duff, Captain Wilson, with the missionaries,) "and from this ship also there came several white men, to live by choice among them. The white men that came last built a house, in which they used often to shut themselves up, to sing and perform ceremonies, (as Finow expressed it). Matters went on very well for some time: at length a quarrel ensued between Morgan and the other white men, at first about an iron pot which he wanted to borrow of them, and then about some pigs which they said he had stolen from them: upon this they informed the chiefs that this Morgan had been a bad man in his own country, and was under sentence of banishment for his crimes; but from the full