Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/456

390 have done with any plausible pretence, such as he had for bringing them to Felletoa. In their road to the back of the island they sang loudly the whole way, as a signal to all who might be in the road or adjacent fields to hide themselves as quickly as possible, for it is sacrilegious for any body to be seen abroad by the procession during this part of the cere- mony ; and if any man had unfortunately made his appearance, he would undoubtedly have been pursued by one of the party, and soon dispatched with the club. So strictly is this attended to, that nobody in Mr. Mariner's time recollected a breach of a law so well icnown. Even if a common man were to be fcuried, and Finow himself were to be upon the road, or in the neighbourhood of the proces- sion, whilst going to get sand at the back of the island, he would immediately hide himself; not that they would knock out the king's brains on such an occasion, but it would be thought sacrilegious and unlucky, the gods of Bolotoo being supposed to be present at the time. The chiefs are particularly careful not to in- fringe upon sacred laws, lest they should set an example of disobedience to the people. The song on this occasion, which is very short, is sung first by the men, and then by the women, and so on alternately, and intimates (though