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TRANSACTIONS AT

half-yearly, as usual: at the same time, all thenatives of Hapai, who had come to the war,were to return with their chief. On this occa-sion the young prince (Finow’s son, Moegnag-nongo) went with Toobo Toa to the Hapaiislands, as he wished to look over his lands onthe island of Foa; and Mr. Mariner accom-panied the prince, as he preferred his characterand habits to those of his father. They arrivedsafe at this island after a quick passage of aboutnine hours.

at the ceremony of Inachi, or offering the first fruits of theseason to the gods, in or about the beginning of October jand again, at some other time of the year, when the tributarychief may think proper, and is generally done when somearticle is in great plenty. The tribute levied at the time ofthe Inachi is general and absolute; that which is paid onthe other occasion comes more in form of a present, but is soestablished by old custom, that, if it were omitted, it wouldamount to little less than an act of rebellion. It may herewith propriety be observed, that the practice of making pre-sents to superior chiefs is very general and frequent. Thehigher class of chiefs generally make a present to the king,of hogs or yams, about once a fortnight: these chiefs, aboutthe same time, receive presents from those below them, andthese last from others, and so on, down to the common peo-ple. The principle on which all this is grounded is of coursefear, but it is termed respect (of a ).