THE TONGA ISLANDS. 383 rather a wild and agitated step, spinning and whirling the club about, striking themselves with the edge of it two ©r three times violently upon the top or back of the head*, and then, suddenly stopping, and looking stedfastly at the instrument, spattered with blood, exclaim,. " Alas ! my club, who could have said that you " would have done this kind office for me, and " have enabled me thus to evince a testimony of " my respect for Finow 1 Never, no, never, can " you again tear open the brains of his ene- " mies ! Alas ! what a great and mighty warrior " has fallen ! Oh ! Finow, cease to suspect my " loyalty ; be convinced of my fidelity ! But
- ' what absurdity am I talking ! if. I had ap-
- ' peared treacherous in your sight, I should
" have met the fate of those numerous warriors " who have fallen victims to your just revenge: " but do not think, Finow, that I reproach
- ' you ; no ! I wish only to convince you of my
" innocence, for who, that has thoughts of " harming his chiefs, shall grow white-headed
- ' like me ? (an expression made use of by
" some of the old men). O cruel gods ! to de- prive us of our father, of our only hope, for " whom alone we wished to live ! We have, in- " deed, other chiefs, but they are only chiefs
- They understand tolerably well how to avoid the situa-
tion of the larger arteries.
