THE TONGA ISLANDS. 387 of an hour, the corner posts being taken up, the four pieces which compose the building (a kind of shed in a pyramidal form, the eaves reaching within four feet of the ground) were brought by a sufficient number of men, and put. together at the place where it was wantedf*. This being done, the body was brought on the. same hurdle or hand-barrow to the newly erected building, (if it may be so termed) and then being taken off the hurdle it was laid within, on the bale of gnatooj and the house was- hung round with black gnatoo, reaching from! the eaves to the ground *. The women, whc» were now all assembled and seated round the body, began a most dismal lamentation, similar to that at Neafoo ; in the mean time a number of people, whose business it jwas to prepare graves, were digging the place of interment within ihefyioca, under the direction of Lanagi, a mataboole whose office was to superintend such affiiirs. Having dug about ten feet, they came to the large stone vault, such as was de- scribed in the note p. 144 j a rope being then
- This black gnatoo, or rather gmtoo of a dark colour,
having a deep brown ground with black stripes, is not chosen on account of its colour, but because it is coarse and common (emblematical of poverty and sadness). They have a kind oi gnatoo of very superior quality, but of the same colour and pattern, and this is used on occasions of re- joicing. C C 2
