Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/350

284 now, and all the chiefs of Hapai, cursing them in the most bitter manner *, and their fathers for begetting them, and heaping maledictions upon all their generation ; he went on in this .manner, cursing and swearing at his enemies, till the water came up to his mouth, and, even then, he actually threw back his head for the opportunity of uttering another curse, splutter- ing the water forth from his lips, till it bereft him for ever of the power of speech. They were about twenty minutes sinking, after which the large canoe returned immediately to Va- vaoo. Booboonoo and Nowfaho were both men that bore a most amiable character : in time of war they were brave and enterprising; in time of peace, gentle and humane. The conduct of Nowfaho, in killing the poor Hapai woman, seems to make much against his humanity; merous; but, for the most part, they are rather horrible commands than curses, and are, generally, in regard to maltreating one's relations, or eating one's superior rela- tions ; for it is considered a crime to eat food which a supe- rior relation has touched ; how much more, therefore, to eat that relation himself ! For a sample ; — Bake your grand- father till his skin turns to cracknel, and gnaw his skull for your share !"— " Go, and ravish your own sister!" — " Dig up your father by moonlight, and make soup of his bones," &c. &c. Many of their sayings, in this way, are too indeli- cate to mention.
 * The curses used among the Tonga people are very nu-