Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/288

222 222 TRANSACTIONS AT them to negotiate, and if they succeeded, it would afford him, he said, at least one great gratification, viz. the opportunity of again re- newing his friendship with his aunt Toe Oo- moo, and paying her that respect which her superior relationship required. The day after the last conference, the priests accordingly dressed themselves in mats, with wreaths of green leaves round their necks as tokens of humility, not towards the enemy, but the gods, as fulfilling a commission sacred in its nature. Thus equipped, they set out on their way to Felletoa. In the mean time, Finow gave orders that none of his men, if they met with a party of the enemy, should commit any act of hostility, but should endeavour on all occasions to avoid them by as speedy a retreat as possible, for as the gods had admonished him to en- deavour to make a peace, and the priests were actually fulfilling that endeavour, any act of hostility might defeat their purpose. The priests went four or five different times to hold conferences with the chiefs of Felletoa before they could bring about a reconciliation. For although the old men seemed willing enough to listen to terms of accommodation, influenced perhaps by their prejudice in favour of Finow as their lawful king, yet the young and spirited warriors, who saw clearly enough