Page:An account of the natives of the Tonga Islands.djvu/398

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
332
TRANSACTIONS AT

332 TRANSACTIONS AT wards at Pau, he had not an opportunity of seeing this ceremony. Close to Pau lies a very small island, called Chichia, which is in itself a fortress almost im- pregnable. The nearest part is not more than a hundred yards from Pau; and, at low water, joins it by a ridge of sand. At the place where this ridge joins Chichia, there is a high rock, almost perforated by nature, and which art has rendered completely so. This rock is con- verted into a strong fortress, commanding the whole island, which, indeed, is rendered inac- cessible in every part, by a heavy surf and dan- gerous rocks, except just to the left of the large rock, and that part is defended by a high fenc- ing. On this small" but strong island several natives of Tonga resided, for the chief was partial to them, because his wife was a native, of that place; he therefore readily admitted Cow Mooala and his men to come also and re- side with him. Cow Mooala took an active part with the chief of Chichia in his war against the people of Pau. This war had been kept up for a long time, the people of Cliichia constantly committing depredations on the people of Pau, without these being at all able to retaliate. From time to time they had taken a great number of pri- soners, which were kept apart for a purpose