Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/252

186 she been of the king's family, she would no doubt have been retained a prisoner.

Night was now set in, but, by Finow's orders, a firing was kept up, merely with stones, to avoid a waste of shot, because no good aim could be taken: this lasted for about an hour. The king's matabooles then made several speeches to the garrison, soliciting the Vavaoo chiefs to submit to the government of Finow, but they objected, under the apprehension that they should be afterwards killed by the treachery of the king or of Toobó Tóa. Finow then addressed them, threatening to remain there the whole night, and the next day to set about building a fort opposite theirs, and to keep up the war until they either yielded or were destroyed.

Shortly after this, however, he gave orders to his men to repair as silently and as speedily as possible to Neáfoo. He deceived the enemy in this way, to prevent them proceeding by another road, and cutting off his retreat. The guns were given in charge to some of the principal warriors, with men under their command to drag them along. The labour of doing this for three miles was by no means trifling, particularly as the road was very uneven: they swore heartily at all guns, and all Englishmen for making them, and wanted to know why they