The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-12-03
BRIDE OF n SEA.

The Tonga Islands, situated in the
South Pacific Ocean, are known to navi-
gators as forming q portion of that
group denOminated the Friendly Islands.
NavaOo was under the government of
a tyrannical chief named Omao, who
50 oppressed the people that they were
driven to the last extreme of an en-
durance.
Finally a revolt was organized bv
means of which the people determined
to overthrow the tvrant, and free them
selves, if necessary, from the rule of the
king himself, unless he should have more
reasonable considerations for their do
mestic peace and comfort.
The principal mover in the insurrec-
ton was a chief of high standing, but
the conspiracy was discovered and its
protector betrayed. He was tried bv
order of the King, found guilty, and the
penalty of death pronounced, not only
upon himself, but also upon his whole
tamily-wife, children, and all were to
be executed as a warning to other dis
satisfied subjects.
There was no appeal from this SEN
tence, and the chief and his family pre-
pared to die. The condemned chief had
Il daughter named Eoa, who was Young
and beautiful, who had not vet reached
her fifteenth birthday but the female
orm ripeRs earlier in the low latitude
than with us at the north, and she had
already won the enthusiastic affections
of a young chief of equal rank with her
father, and to whom she was afianced
after the style of the Tonga Islanders.
The lover of EOa was named Hapai,
and though not implicated with her
father in the proposed revolt, vet he
sympathized with its purpose. He re-
solved that EOa should not be sacrificed,
even though he should himself perish in
the attempt to set her free. So when
the agent of the tyrant came to arrest
the family of the condemned chief, they
found that this star of the domestic
circle, and this lovely girl, who was eel
cbrated far and near for her remarkable
beauty, to be missing.
All efforts to gain information concern
ing her and all search for her person
proved in vain. She had been spirited
away, as her sad mother answered. The
vengeance of the law had been visited in
full force upon those left behind, and
Hapai was watched, to see if he was in
any way concerned with the disappear
ance of Eoa.
But the surveillance under which he
was placed ELECTED nothing. The young
girl had gone in So mysterious a manner
that pursuit was impossible, and it was
suggested that instead of suffering by the
hand of the public executioner, She had
preferred to drown herself. The ven
geance of the tyrant who had sacrificed
the lives of the rest of the family was
unsatiated, since this daughter, so famous
for her beauty, had escaped. So he
ordered the imprisonment of Hapai, in
hopes, through him, to learn where the
young girl was secreted.
But Hapai belonged to a proud line of
chiefs, and the tyrant was warned that,
unless he was at once set at liberty, he
would invoke an instruction which
neither he nor his Kings government
could quell.
80 the young chief was liberated after
but one days incarceration in the ty-
rants stronghold.
Hapai was a splendid swimmer, and
gained great fame among his fellow pearl
divers, because he could remain under
water so long. 1t was to them almost
incredible that he could descend to the
bottom of the sea after pearls, and re-
manning there twice, even three times as
long as the Others could, he would rise to
the surface without appearing to have
suffered nv remarkable inconvenience
by his long submersion.
He still kept up his search for pearls
ut the bottom of the sea, and might have
been met daily in his fishing boat along
shore, diving here and there as he thought
best.
Why dive by the rocky shore? -
asked one of his neighbors, who passed
him the XXI day after his release from
prison.
The richest pearls sleep in the deepest
water" was the answer by the young
chief.
True, but not by the rocky shore?"
Yet you see | find Them
NO one else finds pearls under the
Cliff r%ejoined the other, as he pulled
away to ground more prolific.
"Hapai," he continued, resting on his
cars for a moment.
"Ah."
What think YOU, became of Eoa ,"
Good spirits nave taken her, / hone
They say she drowned herself"
Possibly, but | think not"
You should know, " replied the other,
again reSuming his oars and singing as he
pulled seaward.
Hapai, Sickened by the tyranny under
which he lived, resolved to emigrate to
the Fell Islands. OF course il his pur-
pose were known he would have been
prevented by the tvrant, but he kept lis
secret purposes so well guarded that no
suspicion was aroused.
On a certain night he arranged 80 that
his DEFENDANTS, male and female, should
I've prepared to leave Navaoo at a mo-
mcnt's notice, and all were secretly en-
barkcd in boats, with such few necessary
effects rs form the domestic surroundings |
of these poor Islanders.
The day was just breaking when the
little group of boats pulled away from
the Island. Once fairly embarked, and
Il couple of leagues from shore, they
feared no pursuit, besides they were or
yanizeG and armed so that no culinary
party ,snt to follow them would venture
to attack them.
The young chief l&e way in the
largest boat, steering 10y for the stone
cliffs on the Island Hoonga, one of
<he Tonga groupe, and near the spot
where he was 10. often seen i'm search for
pearls. In the boat was his aged mother,
for he had left one of his family behind