Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/312

246 is every probability that, some years back, it was such, in a great degree, though now little trod : but those who are willing to keep up the spirit of the wonderful have attributed it to this supernatural cause. Superstitions, in all countries, are much of the same kind ; we have similar ones in our own; but, whilst men of cultivated minds disregard them, the vulgar in general most firmly give their belief, particu- larly where there is some sensible object that appears to corroborate the tale *. Whilst Finow was yet at the Hapai islands, he often held conversations at his cava par- ties with Filimoeatoo, respecting the state of iaffairs at Tonga. Among other things, this chief related, that a ship from Botany Bay had touched there about a week before he arrived, on board of which there was a Tonga chief, Paloo Mata Moigna, and his wife, Fataf6hi, both of whom had formerly left Tonga (before the death of Toogoo Ahoo), and had resided some years at the Fiji islands, from which place they afterwards went along with one Selly (as they explanation as if I had considered it perfectly satisfactory in regard to all the phenomena : this 1 did not intend : I have merely ventured to state what I consider to be the probable cause of the long track. As to the short transverse one, suffice it to say, that I do not believe it to have been occa- sioned by poor Norton's body.
 * I observe that some readers have looked upon the above