Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/349

Rh THE TONGA ISLANDS. 28^ bravery, scorned to beg any favour of their enemies, and were accordingly taken out to sea, lashed in two rotten canoes, which they had on board, three in each, and left to reflect on their fate ; in the mean time their destroyers remained at a little distance to see them sink. Booboonoo, whilst in this situation, said, that he only died unhappy on account of his infant son, who would be left friendless and unpro- tected ; but, calling to a young chief in the larger canoe, of the name of Talo, begged, for the sake of their gods, that he would befriend his child, and never see him want either clothes or food suitable to the son of a chief j upon which Talo made a solemn promise to take the most attentive care of him, and Booboonoo seemed quite satisfied. Nowfaho lamented the sad disasters of that day, saying how many great and brave men were dying an ignomini- ous death, who, some time before, were able to make the whole army of Finow tremble : he lamented, moreover, that he had ever retreated from his enemies, and wished that, on such an occasion, he had faced about, however inferior in strength, and sold his life at a high price, instead of living a little longer, to die thus a shameful death : he earnestly requested them to remember him in the most affectionate man- ner to his wife. Cacahoo swore heartily at Fi-