Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/204

138 for his head:) he immediately exclaimed "O iaooé Finow, teoo máte (oh! Finow, am I to be killed?)" and retiring a few steps set his back against the fencing: Finow, who was several paces in advance, immediately made what was thought a feigned attempt to defend him, exclaiming "O iaooé seeoké gooa maté e tangáta! (alas! this noble man is killed!)" but he was held from his strong, yet pretended endeavour to run to his assistance, by some other attendants of Toobó Tóa, who came up and forced Finow into the fencing. (It must be recollected that Finow did not choose to bring his whaling knife with him.) Toobó Nuha, who was without any offensive weapon, as he had been without any suspicion, warded off several blows with his hands and arms; till both these being broken, he was unable to lift them up, when a blow from Toobó Tóa on the head made him stagger, another knocked him down, and he was beaten as long as signs of life remained, and for some time after. At this moment a young warrior, whose name was Latoo Ila, and whose father had been formerly killed, under strong suspicions of conspiracy by Toobó Nuha, came up to the spot, possessed by a spirit of implacable revenge. He struck the body of the dead chief several times, and exclaimed, "The time of vengeance is come! thou hast