Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/179

] hardware, which he had stolen between decks; and that Futtafaihe, reprobating the habit of pilfering, of which the natives were every day guilty towards us, had affected to say publicly, that the culprit should be punished with death. But this, they soon perceived, was all artifice on the part of the chief: for, as soon as they began to inflict the punishment of the rope's end on the pilferer, he interceded for his pardon, which, however, was not granted; and Futtafaihe seemed to be greatly affected at his receiving the five-and-twenty stripes, which he had been condemned to suffer.

2d. Pretty early the next morning, we received a visit from Tonga, who accompanied his father Toobou, the King's brother. They both took a great deal of trouble to explain to us all the dignities of their family.

Tonga several times gave us proofs of great intelligence, in particular when we showed him a chart of the Friendly Islands constructed by Captain Cook. He first glanced his eye rapidly over the archipelago; and then, stopping at Tongataboo, he observed to us, that several reefs of rocks had been laid down which did not exist; informing us that, to the north-west we should find a passage, through which we might easily carry our vessels into the open sea. This infor-