C H A P . IX.
A grand- Solemnity, called N a t c h e , in Honour o f the
Kings Son, performed.— 'The Procejftons and other Ceremonies^
during the fir jl Day, dejcrihed.— The Man-
ner o f pafftng the Night at the King's Houfe.— Continuation
o f the Solemnity, the next Day.— ConjeElures about
the Nature o f it.— Departure from Tongataboo, and
A rriva l at Eooa.— Account o f that I f and, and Tranf-
a Elions there.
»777- J-f?
Sunday 6.
Monday 7.
Tuefday 8»
' E were npw ready to fail; but the wind being Eaft-
erly, we had not fufficient day light to turn through
the narrows, either with the morning, or with the evening
flood; the one falling out too early, and the other too late.
So that, without a leading wind, we were under a neceflity
of waiting two or three days.
I took the opportunity o f this delay, to be prefen t at a
public folemnity, to which the king had invited us, when
we went laft to vifit him, and which, he had informed us,
was to be performed on the 8th. With a view to this, he
and all the people of note, quitted our neighbourhood on
the 7th, and repaired to Mooa, where the folemnity was to
be exhibited. A party of us fdllowed them, the next morning.
We underftood, from what Poulaho had faid to us,
that his fon and heir was now to be initiated into certain
t . privileges;
privileges; amongft which was, that of eating with his fa- .
ther; an honour he had not, as yet, been admitted to. >— „— -/
We arrived at Mooa about eight o’clock, and found the
king, with a large circle of attendants fitting before him,
within an inclofure fo fmall and dirty, as to excite my wonder
tliat any fuch could be found in that neighbourhood.
They were intent upon their ufual morning occupation, in
preparing a bowl of kava. As this was no liquor for us, we
walked out to vifit fome of our friends, and to obferve what
preparations might be making for the ceremony, which was
foon to begin. About ten o’clock, the people began to afiemble,
in a large area, which is before the malaee, or great houfe, to
which we had been condudted the firfl time we vifited Mooa.
At the end of a road, that opens irtto this area, flood fome
men with fpears and clubs, who kept conftantly reciting, or
chanting, ihort fentences, in a mournful tone, which conveyed
fome idea of diftrefs, and as if they called for fome-
thing. This was continued about an. hour; and, in the
mean time, many people came down the road, each of them
bringing a yam, tied to the middle of a pole, which they
laid down, before the perfons who continued repeating the
fentences. While this was going on, the king and prince
arrived, and feated themfelves upon the area ; and we were
defired to fit down by them, but to pull off our hats, and
to untie our hair. The bearers of the yams being all come
in, each pole was taken up between two men, who carried
it over their ihoulders. After forming themfelves into companies,
of ten or twelve perfons each, they marched acrofs
the place, with a quick pace ; each company, headed by a
man bearing a club or fpear, and guarded, on the right, by
feveral others, armed with different weapons. A man carrying
a living pigeon on a perch, clofed the rear of the
Vol. I. X x proceflion,