THE TONGA ISLANDS.
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CHAPTER III.
Disembarkation of the forces—Siege of Nioocalofa—Destruction of the fortress-Cruelty of the conquerors-Description of the effect of the artillery—Embarkation for Pangaimotoo—Ceremony of invoking a God—Inspiration of a priest—Return to Tonga—The fortress rebuilt—Cannibalism—Garrison of Bea enters into alliance with Finow—Finow embarks again for Pangaimotoo, leaving the fortress in the care of the chief of Bea—Treachery of this chief—Return of the fleet to the Hapai islands—Astonishment of Finow at the mode of communicating sentiments by writing, with the circumstance that gave rise to it—A Tonga chief and his family join Finow—Arrival at Lefooga—Ceremony of Fuccalahi—Ceremony of marriage between Tooitonga and Finow's daughter.
Finow being arrived with the whole of his fleet off Nioocalofa, and having with him, besides Mr. Mariner, fifteen other Englishmen, eight of whom were armed with muskets, he proceeded to land his troops under cover of a fire of musketry, which speedily drove almost all the enemy who had sallied forth back into the garrison. The first fire killed three, and wounded several; and a repetition of it threw them into such dismay, that in five minutes only forty of the bravest remained to molest them; and these began to retire, as the forces of Finow increased
