Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/339

Rh THE TONGA ISLANDS. 273 islands to the government of certain of his chiefs and matabooles, returned with his party to Vavaoo. As soon as he arrived at Felletoa, he issued orders for a general assembly of the people, to be present on an appointed day, at a general /oTZo, or harangue, to be addressed to them in regard to the affairs of agriculture, and to remind them of their duty towards their chiefs, and how they ought to behave at all public ceremonies ; in short, upon such subjects as were more or less connected with agricul- ture, or with moral and political duty. These fonos are frequently held, and often upon sub- jects of a minor importance, such, for instance, as the expediency of repairing Finovv's canoe: on such an occasion, the o^'ner of a certain plantation would be appointed to provide the carpenters with provisions, another to provide them with canoe-timber, a tliird with a peculiar kind of wood for wedges, a fourth with plait, &c. — the same with more extensive matters, as constructing a large house, planting of yams or bananas, supplying provisions for feasts, burials, &c. so that in all these matters a tax is laid upon the people, every principal owner of land providing his share. The fono now about to be held was of a general nature, to be addressed to all the people, or at least to the petty chiefs : but the petty chiefs themselves often address VOL. I. T