Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/342

276 more cava root to be prepared, — on a sudden he pronounced aloud the word boogi (hold or arrest). Instantly all the chiefs and warriors that had been particularly active against him in. the late war were seized by men previously appointed : their hands were tied fast behind them ; and they were taken down to the beach, where, with the club, several were immediately dispatched ; and the remainder were reserved till the afternoon, for what is considered a more signal punishment, viz. to be taken out to sea, and sunk in old leaky canoes. This transaction seemed to show how little was to be trusted to the honour of Finow, and how well founded were the suspicions of those Vavaoo chiefs, who had said that no reliance was to be placed in him ; and that there was little doubt but that he would take an early opportunity of exercis- ing his revenge : they therefore acted a wise part, who, as soon as the peace was concluded, fled at the earliest opportunity, some to the island of Tonga, others to the Fiji islands. It must, however, be acknowledged that Finow had received information of a conspiracy which- these chiefs were designing against him j and if this be true, his conduct was certainly less reproachable*. Finow being apprehensive. positively asserted ; nobody supposed that Ihey had actually
 * It must be remarked that their innocence was never