Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/317

Rh either could not or would not apply it to any useful (physical) purpose: "if," said he, "it were made of iron, and could be converted into knives, axes, and chisels, there would be some sense in placing a value on it; but as it is, I see none: if a man," he added, "has more yams than he wants, let him exchange some of them away for pork or gnatoo; certainly money is much handier, and more convenient, but then as it will not spoil by being kept, people will store it up, instead of sharing it out, as a chief ought to do, and thus become selfish; whereas, if provision were the principal property of a man, and it ought to be, as being both the most useful and the most necessary, he could not store it up, for it would spoil, and so he would be obliged either to exchange it away for something else useful, or share it out to his neighbours, and inferior chiefs and dependants, for nothing." He concluded by saying, "I understand now very well what it is that makes the Papalangis so selfish;—it is this money!"

"When Mr. Mariner informed Finow that dollars were money, he was greatly surprised, having always taken them for páänga, and