Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/427

Rh THE TONGA ISLANDS. 361 fashion, but partly according to that, partly agreeably to the custom of Hamoa, and partly according to a fancy of his own. After the body was washed and anointed with oil, it was wrapped up in fourteen or fifteen yards of fine East India embroidered muslin, which had formerly belonged to one of the officers of the Port au Prince. It was next laid in a large cedar chest, which had been made on board the same ship, for the use of Mr. Brown, out of some cedar planks taken in a prize. Over the body were strewed wreaths of flowers, made for the purpose by her female attendants. Orders were now issued by Finow, that nobody should wear mats, (although it was customary on such solemn occasions,) but should dress themselves in new tapas (this is the Hamoa custom) ; and instead of if, leaves round their necks, he ordered that they should wear wreaths of flowers, (this was an idea of his own,) as if dressed for some occasion of rejoic- ing. The chest was placed on two large bales of gnatoo, in the middle of the house, and the body laid thus in state for the space of twenty days ; during which time Mooonga Toobo, Fi- now*s principal wife, and all her female attend- ants, remained constantly with the body. In the course of the first night the mourners broke out in a kind of recitative, like that on occasion