Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/215

Rh THE TONGA ISLANDS. 149 build a large and strong fortress, and to put themselves in a state of defence against any in. cursions that Finow might make upon them, or, rather, which Toobo Toa might urge him to make. The proposed fortress was to be the largest tliat ever was known in the Tonga islands, to be, in short, a fortified town, capable of holding all the inhabitants of Vavaoo (about 8000 in number), with their houses and burying-places, to be built round the Mooa*, and constructed, as usual, of reed fencings, much on the same plan as that of Nioocalofa, formerly described, but to be surrounded by a deep and firm-set bank of solid clay, about twelve feet high, with a ditch on the inner side of it, from which the clay would be furnished, and thus be proof against the guns : within this ditch, and next the fencing, was to be another bank of clay, smaller than the other. ^The whole of the ma- terials of the fencing was to be proportionably strong and good. v Among a great deal of information which the old mataboole communicated, was that respect- ing the bravado of a Vavaoo warrior, who de- clared his utter contempt of the guns. It is customary for eveiy professed warrior, before this place is called the Mooa, the metropolis of the island.
 * The chiefs' houses are generally situated together^ and