Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/474

408 doubt, after having observed closely the features of that transaction, but that Finow meant to bring about the murder ofTooba Nuba that very night, else why did he tell Mr. Mariner not to bring his whaling knife with him ? was it not that he wished to be unarmed, that he might not have an opportunity of de- fending Toobo Nuha ? Again, he did not, be- fore he set out from his house, send for Toobo Nuha to accompany hiip, but 'when he had got half way on his road he stopped to bathe, and in the mean while, as if it were a second and a casual thought, he sent for his victim to ac- company him to the old chief's house, where they remained above two hours. Toobo Toa was not present, and Toobo Toa's men were getting ready a canoe for him to escape, in case he were unsuccessful. When the first blow was given, Finow could not defend Toobo Nuha, because he was purposelij unarmed, and because Toobo Toa's men held him, which they would not have dared to have done had they not been so ordered by their chief. Need any more be said to shew his policy? — Once more notice him, when he wishes to make a peace with the Vavaoo people, after he had kept up for some time a fruitless contest (p. 220). To have ex- pressed this wish might have weakened him in the opinion of his enemies j what does he in