Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/33

Rh principal natives of divers parties, who had been eye-witnesses. The narration of events being brought down to the period of Mr. Mariner's fortunate escape, the remainder of the work furnishes a more intimate detail of the state of society in regard to rank and professions; their religious and political government; the names and attributes of their principal gods; their notions of the human soul, and of a future state of existence; an investigation of their moral principles, and of their state of morals; a description of their most important religious ceremonies; an account of the healing art, with a detail of some important surgical operations practised by them; a description of their principal manufactures; their games and amusements; music, songs, &c.; and, lastly, a grammar of their language, and a vocabulary to the