THE TONGA ISLANDS. 145 As soon as the corpse was let down into the grave, one of those who had assassinated liim, Chioolooa, a great warrior and a powerful man, advanced forward into the middle of the circle, brandishing his club, and addressed the Vavaoo people to the following effect: *' If there be " any among you harbouring secret thoughts " of revenge, keep them no longer buried in " your bosom, meditating plans of future insur-
- ' rection, but come now forth and fight me on
- ' the spot, for by sacrificing me, you will re-
- -venge his death : I am the man who acted a
- ' principal part in his death ; come on, then,
" one and all, and wreak your vengeance on my head !" — Nobody, however, accepted this challenge ; not but there were many Vavaoo chiefs who would willingly have done it, had they not thought better to reserve themselves, to effect a future and more signal vengeance. The stone was now put over the grave, and the company dispersed. During the whole of this time, in conse- quence of Finow's orders, every circumstance was attended to that might prevent an insur- rection on the part of the Vavaoo warriors. The four carronades which Finow had brought with him were drawn up before the fencing in to, though not quite so formal, as what will be described hereafter on the occasion of Finow's death. VOL. I. T
