Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/206

140 his presence. These orders were scarcely given when one of the late chief's adopted sons, Hala Api Api, came before Finow, and striking his club against the ground, exclaimed " Why sit you there idle ?— why do you not " rouse yourself and your men, to revenge the " death of the fallen hero ? if it had been your " lot to have sunk thus beneath the clubs of " your enemies, would he have hesitated to "have sacrificed his life for your revenge? — " How great a chief he was ! how sadly has he " died !" Finow made no reply, and the young warrior retired a little, and sat down. The affection of the V avaoo people for their chief was great, but they thought the present a very disadvantageous opportunity of seeking revenge. They were in a part of the country where their enemies would be very numerous ; their canoes would perhaps be taken from them, and their retreat thus cut off— When they received Finow's orders, they immediately obeyed, the great body of them going into their respective canoes, and their chiefs coming into the king's presence.: where, when they arrived, they sat before him, their heads bowed down in dejection and utter sadness. — Finow, in his usual styl-e of artful eloquence, made them a speech, in which he positively declared his innocence of the murder, and his previous