Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/32

xxiv esteemed sufficiently interesting, as it involves a combination of untoward circumstances that led ultimately to the destruction of the ship: the whole of this has been faithfully composed from a journal kept by Mr. Mariner on board. Next follows a narrative, or rather, as it may be termed, a historical account, of all the important and interesting events that occurred during his stay at the Tonga Islands; not merely as they regarded himself, but with an aspect to the different changes, religious and political, since they affected, in a most important manner, the situation of public affairs: and that this portion of the work may be better understood, a comparison is drawn between the state of these islands upon Mr. Mariner's arrival, and that in which Captain Cook had previously found them; in doing which the revolution of Tonga, and other important and highly interesting events which had taken place in the mean while, are given according to the account of the