Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/298

232 half-yearly, as usual: at the same time, all the natives of Hapai, who had come to the war, were to return with their chief On this occa- sion the young prince (Finow's son, Moegnag- nongo) went with Toobo Toa to the Hapai islands, as he wished to look over his lands on the island of Foaj and Mr. Mariner accom- panied the prince, as he preferred his character and habits to those of his father. They arrived safe at this island after a quick passage of about nine hours. at the ceremony of Inachi, or offering the first fruits of the season to the gods, in or about the beginning of October j and again, at some other time of the year, when the tributary chief may think proper, and is generally done when some article is in great plenty. The tribute levied at the time of the Inachi is general and absolute; that which is paid on the other occasion comes more in form of a present, but is so established by old custom, that, if it were omitted, it would amount to little less than an act of rebellion. It may here with propriety be observed, that the practice of making pre- sents to superior chiefs is very general and frequent. The higher class of chiefs generally make a present to the king, of hogs or yams, about once a fortnight: these chiefs, about the same time, receive presents from those below them, and these last from others, and so on, down to the common peo- ple. The principle on which all this is grounded is of course fear, but it is termed respect (o/a).