Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/217

Rh THE TONGA ISLANDS. 151 tions of the gods, could prevent him turning his immediate attention to the necessary pre- parations for a speedy attack on Vavaoo. In- termediate and unexpected events, however, put a stop, for a time, to these preparations. At this period, there arrived from Hamoa (the Navigator's islands), Finow's son and heir, Moegnagnongo, after an absence of five years with him came ^mother great chief, whose name was Voona, and who had formerly been chief of Vavaoo ; they and their retinue had sailed from Hamoa in six canoes, one of which, containing sixty persons, and all Moegnagnon- go's treasures, was lost in a gale of wind. In their way they had touched at Vavaoo, not knowing the political situation of the island, and were very near being forcibly detained ; but, observing something suspicious in the conduct of the people, they put off to sea again, and thus made their escape in time. Their arrival at Lefooga occasioned great feasting and rejoicing, which lasted many days, and served to divert the king from his imme- diate warlike projects. Two daughters of chiefs had, for several years, been kept apart, and reserved to be the wives of the young prince (as we shall beg leave to call him, to avoid the frequent repe- tition of his uncouth name), as soon as he