THE TONGA ISLANDS.

219

aloud to the god that he would be pleased toaccept of this sacrifice as an atonement for theheinous sacrilege committed, and that punish-ment might accordingly be withheld from thepeople. When this had been done before allthe consecrated houses in the fortress, the bodywas given up to its relations, to be buried inthe usual manner.

About four or five days after the above hor-rible immolation, this same Palavali was killedin a skirmish with the enemy. He went outagain on a foraging excursion with about 30 or40 men, not professed warriors, but men onwhose courage and honour no reliance could beplaced. They met with a smaller body of theenemy, but who were all staunch fighting men jin a very short time Palavali’s men turned aboutto run away; he vainly endeavoured to rallythem, and facing the enemy again to set themthe example, he received several wounds andfell. At this moment his men also faced about,and seeing the perilous situation of their chief,became animated with courage, and drove theenemy a few paces back, whilst two or threepicked him up and carried him to the fortress.When they arrived they proceeded to takeout four spears which had pierced him, but hedesired them to desist from so useless a task,as he was certain the gods had decreed his