A TRIP TO THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS, THE NAVIGATORS AND THE PUIS.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 722, 11 October 1870, Page 2

A TRIP TO THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS, THE NAVIGATORS AND THE PUIS.

No. 1. THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS.

(FROAI OUK SPECIAIi COERESPOJfDEKT.) Even Mr Mark Tapley admitted that it was creditable to keep up one's spirits when at sea, and his experiences were on board of a good sized American packet. You may excuse your correspondent, therefore, if he feels rather the reverse of jolly when he examines his Lett's Diary and finds that it is just three weeks since he left New Zealand, on board the schooner Bruizer, bound for the South Sea Islands, and, as yet, " rude Boreas has not ceased," although we are now within the region of the South-East Trades. And yet Ido him wrong to call him rude, for, barring, at the stare, when we lay all that day hove-to—as, we are informed, the British Songster did in the Bay of Biscay—he sent us such "Airs from Heaven" that one would gladly have exchanged them for " blasts" from the other place, provided we could move ahead. But, now that the Friendly Islands are in sight, he will forgive everybody, and, in as few words as possible, note down such facts as may prove interesting to your readers; premising, by way of explanation, that your correspondent is unaccustomed to wield the pen except for the purpose of balancing accounts, and if his observations are confined to the narrow channel of calculating the value that Polynesia is likely to hecome as a consumer of our • goods, or as a home for our settlers, he hopes his remarks may not be altogether unprofitable, and lie will leave to others (who, perhaps, are better paid,) the privilege of dilating on the manners and customs of the natives, or of describing the golden sunsets.

I commenced to write the above at sea but circumstances prevented me from proceeding further with my letter uutil I returned to New Zealand, after an absence of two months, during which time I visited the Tonga or Friendly Islands, the Samoon or Navigator Islands, and the Fijis, returning by way of our own Bay of Islands. I will endeavor to devote, at least, a short chapter to each group. We sighted Eona, the most southerly of the Friendly Islands, on the 18th of August, but, owing to calm weather, we did.not get to,the anchorage for two days thereafter. I have no doubt you have been to sea, Mr Editor, and I am sure you can appreciate the change from " salt horse " to shore food and shore comforts, but 1 question if you ever experienced greater delight than we did when we sniffed the balmy breath of Eona from our anchorage after our three weeks voyage ; and when at last we got on shore and drank of the fresh cocoanuts our joy was complete. The Friendly Islands comprise three groups, known as the Tonga, Habai, aad Vavau groups. My visit on this occasion was confined to the Tonga group, which consists of two large islands—Eona, and Tongataboo, and a number of small islands situated in long. 175 W. and lat. 21£ S. The entire Friendly group is governed by King George, an absolute monarch, residing at Mikalofa in Tongataboo. His laws are framed on the model of our British laws; and, in compiling them, the " Good King " (as he is called) has had considerable as-

sistance from the Wesleyan Missionaries and a council of chiefs who assemble at the palace on certain occasions. The island of Eona is lofty, and being covered with excellent grass has been leased from the King as a sheep station, by two gentlemen, formerly of Canterbury. They have got it fairly stocked, and as they have a good market for their surplus in Fiji at 20s to 25s per head, they are likely to prove their speculation a very successful one. On the margin of the coast are the native plantations of cocoa-nuts, bananas, and cotton ; and a portion of this land is being converted into a cotton plantation by a gentleman from Piji. As it is an unusual occurrence for vessels to call at this island we were the object of considerable attention on the part of the natives, who came and escorted us to their village. We wished to send a letter to the sheep-station a few miles distant, and accordingly called upon the Native chief to entrust the letter to his care. We found him seated on the ground in his house of cane and thatch, surrounded by about a dozen of his retainers, most of whom were asleep. He requested us to "squat down," and when we explained to him that we wanted one of his men to convey the letter for us, he enquired how much money we would give for the job. We suggested half-a-dollar (25.,) whereupon our noble Chief" skedadled" with the letter himself, and was not long in earning the money. I mention this incident to show how mercenary these natives are in all their transactions. They will do nothing except they are paid for it. If they assist you across a creek or into your boat the demand is a shilling or as much less as you may give. We remained at Eona only long enough to have a short walk along the coast, and to partake of a drink of cocoa-nut milk, which I can commend as a most refreshing and harmless drink when taken fresh from the tree. Indeed, it cannot be called milk when in this condition, as it resembles first-class lemonade more than anything else lean compare it to. In some islands where there is a scarcity of water, the cocoa-nut supplies the only drink the natives have. We sailed, in the forenoon of the 19th August, for Nukulofa, the capital of the group —situated in the islaud of Tongataboo, where we arrived the same afternoon. The town is a very small one ; consisting of the King's Palr.cc, (a weather-board cottage,) two churches, schools, and the residences of half a dozen Europeans, engaged in storekeeping, &c.; these in addition to the native houses, which are numerous. We had but come to anchor when we were boarded by the King's boat, and a native custom-house officer came on board as tide-waiter. He spoke no English; and, as he wore no clothing except round his loins, be had no buttons to indicate the nature of his appointment, but he bore in his hand a translated copy of the port regulations, which had been printed at he King's Printing Office. As these regulations will illustrate the social condition of the Tongese, better than I could describe, I shall ask you to publish them in full. They are as follows :

?OET REGULATIONS FOR TONGA, HAABAI, AND VAVAU.

1. Bo it known unto all captains of vessels, that the Government of Tonga will not be responsible for the conduct of the pilots to the entrances, channels, and anchorages, but should a vessel be wrecked through the carelessness or bad conduct of the said pilots, and if, on their trial, it be proved that the wreck was occasioned by the gross carelessness or bad intention of the said pilots, then shall they be given up to go with, and work for, those to whom the vessel belonged, as prisoners for the term of their natural existence, and the owners of said vessel shall have no further claim on the Tongan Government. But if on investigation it bo proved that the wreck was purely accidental and not from any gross carelessness or bad intention of the aforesaid, then they, the said pilots, shall be free; and furthermore, each captain shall please himself as to w at he may give to said pilots for their services. 2. All vessels anchoring in these Islands shall pay once each trip one dollar as harbor fee, and at the firs>t port at which the vessel may anchor on that voyage, and on any vessel casting anchor, she shall be boarded by an officer with a copy of these harbor laws, and if the master of the vessel pay the harbor dues, and signify his intention to submit to the port regulations he shall be free at once to cany on his commercial business, but otherwise it shall not be lawful for any one residing on shore, to trade with said vessel until the captain submit to obey these harbor regulations, always excepting that men-of-war of all nations and Tongan vessels shall be exempt from the payment of harbor dues. 3. If sailors, or any one from a vessel, shall come on shore and break any law of this land, they, the said offenders, shall bo judged and punished as the residents in this kingdom would be in the same case.

4. It is decidedly unlawful for any of the crews of vessels to sleep on shore, but all must go on board their respective vessels by 10 p.m., and if any break this law they will be liable to be seized by tho police and fined each one dollar; but the captain, chief officer, or any gentleman or lady passenger are free from this restriction.

5. No captain of a vessel shall be at liberty to take away from this land any of the peoplo of Tonga, unless they possess a written permit from the governor of the group, and if any captai i do so knowingly, in case he, the said captain, return to this kingdom, it shall not be lawful for any one residing on shore to trade with the captain so offending until he shall have brought back again the people taken away by him ; further, if any vessel about to sail will hoist a flag on the main, an officer shall go on board to search for any runaways that may be stowed away, and if the captain allow the officer to search in all parts of the ship, he shall then be free from all the penalties of this section, always provided, that after the search bo conduced and the officer come on shore, no Tonguese bo allowed to go on board the vessel.

6. Tho payment for cut firewood is two dollars for each boat-load ; the water ia freo. 7. If any mutiny, or other confusion arise on board a ship lying at anchor in harbor, and the captain wish assistnnco from this government, if ho hoist his national flag upside down at foremast head, the police will go on board

at once and assist the captain in restoring order.

8. And if any of the crew of a vessel Vying in harbor come ashore and abscond from said vessel, the police and people of this land shall search for them, and if found they will be taken on board at once, and the captain shall pay for each person sought and delivered up to him the sum of eight dollars, which sum shall be divided oqually—four dollars to the person who securod the runaway, and the other four dollars to the Government. The harboring of any sailor, by any resident on shore or joining together with him to conceal him from his pursuers is absolutely prohibited, and if any party be guilty of this offence, lie shall pay to tlio Govornmout the sum of 24 dollars or work on the public works accordingly. 9. And be it known to all captains of vessels that it is not lawful, for any person to come on shore to reside, unless they first obtain permission from the king or governor to tha,t effect, and if they give permission it shall then be lawful, but not otherwise.

10. 1. Further be it known to all captains of vessels that by Law 69, in the revised code, they are at perfect liberty, to sell on board of their vessels dutiable goods, as for instance, wines, spirits, and ammunition, and this they may do in any anchorage in these dominions, always providing that on the vessel preparing to sail the captain shall deliver to the harbor master a list of all such dutiable articles landed in the said anchorage, with the names of the parties, on whose account they wero landed ; and any captain refusing to do this, will not be allowed at any future time, to trade in the said anchorage. 11. 1. In case a vessel arrive at any anchorage in these dominions, having on board any dangerous disease of a contagious character, no matter whether such vessel belong to these, or any other dominions, it is equally forbidden for the captain, or other parties on board to come ashore, and all residents ashore are forbidden to visit the said vessel, and any case of wilful disobedience will render the party so otlending liable to a fine of eighty dollars.

12. 2. And any party landing from such vessel papers, food, or other property, will render himself liable to a fine of SUO dollars.

13. 3. The following anchorages have been set apart as quarantine stations, the Island of Fafa in that of Uoleva in Haabai, and the Island of Euakafa in Vavau.

The greatest order prevails throughout this miniature kingdom, and offences against the law are of rare occurrence, but when they do occur they are punished with the strong hand. About fifty prisoners might be seen daily at work keeping the roads in order, and a few weeks before we arrived, three natives were hung to a tree on the beach, for having killed oue of their mates in a scuffle. They were buried not far from the place where they paid the penalty of their crime, and while we were there, we observed the relatives of the murderers engaged in dressing or decorating their graves with shells and white coral.

King G-eorge is a very old man —at least seventy years of age but he " bears his blushing honors " well, and, although in youth he was a great warrior, having gained the supremacy of the islands by conquest, he does not appear to have suffered in health by his previous active life. He wears rather more clothes than his subjects, being dressed in a white shirr, with a loose robe or kilt of Tapa, hanging from his waist. He is very desirous to live on friendly terms with the whites, and spares no trouble to make such improvements as are necessary for their comfort. During the tew days we resided in the town, an American whaler was at anchor in the bay, and was very successful in killing four or five whales a week. A quantity of offal from the whales had drifted on shore, and had caused some sickness amongst the residents on the beach. The King was appealed to, aud he immediately ordered the whaler to move a couple of miles away from the towu, while he proceeded himself with his prisoners on the beach, and, working with his own hands, in two days had cleared the atmosphere of all unpleasant smells. He maintains a militia of about 500 men throughout the group, the greater number being located in Tongataboo ; and a Yankee drill sergeant is employed as military instructor. The rifles and accoutrements are new, and of the latest inventions. As yet there are only two or three small cotton plantations on this island, although every mile of it is capable of producing most luxuriant crops. This may be accounted for by the fact that the laws of the kingdom are rather restrictive to white settlers, and until the Fijis are overdone, few will be induced to plant in the Tonga group, even allowing that there is more safety and protection in the latter.

We rode out to one small plantation about seven miles inland. It consisted of twenty to thirty acres in crop, chiefly in coffee, which appeared to be doing well. But as yet there is no "imported labor" in the island, and planters have to depend on the Tongese, Mho are very lazy, and charge half-a-dollar per day for a very poor day's work. With imported laborers, cotton-planting or coffee-growing will pay, but it must be borne in mind that in this group there is an income tax of seven dollars (28s) per annum, charged on all male residents, whether masters or laborers. Land cannot be sold in this group, but it is open for 99 years' lease, at Is per acre per annum, some inferior land being offered at Gd per acre. There is a duty of 6s to 8b per gallon on spirits, aud a license fee of 30 dollars must be paid by all traders.

The islands are said to be healthy for whites, and as they aro situated on the margin of the tropics, they have almost a distinct winter and summer, the temperature in the former season having been known to fall as low as 46 degrees on one occasion, while it seldom rises above 90 degrees at any time. This island is intersected with flret-class bush roads. There are about L'OO head of cattle in the group, and au endless supply of pigs', but the

stocks of fruit and vegetables are verylow at present, in consequence of a severe hurricane having destroyed all their cocoa-nuts and bananas in the month of Feburary last. A small newspaper is printed once a month, in the native language, natives being employed as compositors. But I have a great deal yet to tell you of my wanderings

" Far away, On from island nnto island, at the gateways of the day, Of larger constellations burning, mellow moons, and happy skies, Breadth of tropic shade and palms in cluster, knots of paradise." As the hero of Locksley Hall so aptly describes them. So I must conclude for the present, and on some future occasion I hope to give you a more carefully written report of the Navigators' group, and the Fijis—those Utopian isles to the northward—where every man is not only his own master, but his own lawyer to boot, and where there is but one King—King cotton. Auckland, Aug. 5, 1870.