Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/425

Rh THE TONGA ISLANDS. 359 daughter also to be carried on board ; then fol- lowing himself, made sail for the island of Ofoo, with intention of consulting Allii Vciloo, the tutelar god of his aunt Toe Oomoo. They arrived after two hours sail ; and immediately, on landing, went and presented cava root to the priest of that god (the name of the priest Mr. Mariner has forgotten). In the mean time the sick child was taken to the god's conse- crated house. The company being seated in the presence of the priest, a bowl of cava was presented to him, — when the god said — It is " upon a subject on which you have obtained " all the information that it is necessary for " you to know. Toobo Totdi has already in- " structed you in the will of the gods, and I " can commwnicate nothing farther." The priest having said this, Finow and his attend- ants rose up and went their way. In the course of the afternoon the supposed victim of divine vengeance was removed to several other consecrated houses in the same island, and was suffered to remain about half an hour or an hour in each, with the hope that she would de- rive benefit from the auspices of either of the deities, who were imagined to reside in those places. Removal, hoAvever, appeared to make her worse J and at length she was almost
 * ' in vain that you come here to invoke me