Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/180

114 make some further arrangements with Tarky', and to leave a hundred of his men to garrison Nioocalofa till his return : but being advised not to do so, lest this chief should prove trea- ^herous, and put his hundred men to death, he resolved to give the fortress wholly up to Tarky"s possession, and not run the risk of losing his' men. He accordingly ordered the canoes to be launched, and stored with provisions ; and hav- ing given up Nioocalofa to Tarky^'s chiefs, upon their faithful promise to take all due care of it, he went on board with all his army the same afternoon, and landed at Pangaimotoo, intend- ing to sail the following morning for the Hapai islands. During the night, a great fire was seen at Tonga, towards Nioocalofa, and the fortress it- self was suspected to be on fire ; but whether from accident, or the treachery of Tarky', Fi- now was resolved to learn as soon as possible. Before sunrise, therefore, he sent out a canoe ta make inquiry: it soon returned with the inform- ation, received from a well disposed subject of Tarky', that the place was burnt by arder of that chief, whilst Finow was in sight, on pur- pose to vex and irritate him. At this insult^ Finow was so enraged, that he resolved to go back immediately, and exterminate Tarky' and all his family: but the priests persuaded him