OF THE TONGA PEOPLE.

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that obscures the understanding of the Tongapeople is surely that which prevents them see-ing the unnatural cruelty and absurdity of thispractice : we have, however, the most sanguinehopes that Moloch—horrid king,” will notmuch longer hold his reign in these islands. Itis not, we verily believe, from a want of naturalfeeling, but from an excessive veneration andfear of the gods, created in an sera of great su-perstition, and now upheld by old practice, thatthe natives perform these horrible rites. Allthe by-standers behold the innocent victim withfeelings of the greatest pity; but it is proper,they think, to sacrifice a child, who is at presentof no use to society, and perhaps may not other-wise live to be, with the hope of recovering asick chief, whom all esteem, and whom all thinkit a most important duty to respect, defend, andpreserve, that his life may be of advantage tothe country. The form of this ceremony is re-lated (Vol. I. p. 217.) : other instances on theoccasions of Finow’s last illness, and that ofTooitonga.

The ceremony of Nawgia, (or strangling),used to be performed upon the chief widow ofTooitonga, on the day of her husband’s burial^that she might be interred with him. TwoTooitongas were buried during Mr. Mariner’stime; one on his first arrival, and the other,

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