The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-09-12

4hAs hOhSOn 0lStWhGI9 SLtLGS IIlat
"In the kings palace there is a throne
room furnished like an Australian
parlor, with Kidderminster carpets,
ormula ornaments under glass shades,
and crewel-work mats on the tables,
while in bare room on the ground
floor the king sleeps on his mat spread
on the boards, and eats his yams from
a single plate. A cabinet minister
may be seen sitting on the floor of his
well furnished office eating his mid
day meal from a large dish with his
fingers -
The Voyage to LifukA.
70 return to the Cabinet. After
fully discussing the situation, it was
c.eI led that Tukuaho, Fatafehi and
NJ Thomson should visit the aged
ki4E IN Haapai, while Kubu and
Sareki should make an electioneering
tour through the outlying groups OF
Vavau and the two Niuas to hold
meetings and explain the state of
affairs to the people.
On the 9th of August Fatafehi's
schooner, the Malokula, was declared
ready for sea and they embarked.
"The vessel was crowded with old
women, whose prostrate bodies made
the traverse OF the deck at night inn
possible"
Passing the active volcano of Tofua,
which strongly resembles Stromboli,
they anchored the next day at Lifuka,
a low coral island covered with grass
and cocoanut palms to the waters
edge.
The Kava Ceremony.
On landing, they sent their 1Ioto-
6uJe or master of ceremonies with
some KdUG roots to announce their
arrival. AS in Fiji and Samoa, so in
ToDgo Kara drinking is a solemn GER
emony of state, with its strict rules of
etiquette, which have been handed
down unchanged for centuries. A mat
was then spread under the shade of
some large trees and the KdUd ring
was formed, a large ellipse, with the
king at one end and the great Kara
bowl at the other. Fatafehi and
Thomson were seated on the kings
left, while other chiefs and Matd6utes
took their places according to their
rank, and the ''ignobiIe v9lgus" sat
outside at the farther end of the
ellipse. Meanwhile, the KdU0 was
pounded on fiat stone instead of be-
ing chewed by women as formerly.
During the ceremony not word was
spoken except the stereotyped formu-
lac shouted back and forth between
the master of ceremonies and the
K0UG makers, which have remained
unchanged since Mariners time,
ninety years ago.
When the root had been thoroughly
pounded, it was mingled with water
in the big bowl, and the LIQUOR was
strained through a mesh of fibers of
han bark until all the solid particles
of the KaUn root had been separated
from it. Several cocoanut-shell cups
were then filled with the beverage and
carried to the chiefs present, in turn,
according to strict rules of precedence,
by the orders of the presiding Bf0ta-
bltIe.
After the cups had made one round
of the circle, the fOrmality of the oc
casion was sufficiently relaxed to per-
NIT conversation. AS soon as the sec
Ond cups had gone round, the old king
rose, on which the Kara party dis
persed.
The next day Mr.. Thomson present.
ed his precious log of Fiji sandalwood
to the king, and held his first inter
view, after which he was admitted TO
the Privy Council as a Tdngdt0
Fdk0binOhinO," i. e. expounder of the
dark ways of the 21apdIangi, or for
eigner. His colleagues held forth at
the "bOLOtu" in the church, and ad-
dressed meeting of the Government
officials in the court house on the ne
cessity of collecting taxes.
FOnOs.
On returning to Tongatabu they held
a series Of fOnOS on the same subject.
Now, in Samoa fOnO is a council of
the heads of families or heads of vii
lagos for discussing the interests OF
their village or district. In Tonga,
however, a fOnO is compulsory meet
ing of the people to listen to the or
1ers Of some person in authority.
Their first fO1O was held in Hihifo,
where several hundred taxpayers were
in a semi circle, each with
his cOcOanut leaf to squat upon, while
the Ministers harangued them from
the veranda of the chiefs house.
"Taxes," they said; 1--WE must have
taxes or terrible things will happen.
Tonga will lose her independence for
One thing, and the police will sell the
of defaulters for another"
At Mua 500 or 900 people were as
;embled under the shade of the his
5Orical banyan trees, under which
Captain Cook had sat on the 18th OF
June, 1777.
Here Thomson explained how Mr..
Baker had spent government money
IN cab hire in Auckland and or
strong liquors. Mr.. Watkin, the ally
IF Mr.. Baker and head of the Tongan
State Church Conference, had been
making incendiary speeches in Va
yau. Accordingly, he was given a
warning letter from the British High
Commissioner, and informed that be
would be held responsible for the
actions of his subordinates.
PhiIately as a Source OF Revenue.
AS the taxes came in slowly, Mr..
Thomson Iesorted to trick for rails
ng the wind which he cOnfesses with
proper shame. He decided to change
,he Tongan postage stamps. The
change was affected for $40, while the
ale of their old stamps, thus en-
lanced in value, brought in some goo
)r more.
Other nations greater than Tonga
rave tried this expedient, but Mr..
Thomson claims priority for his in
yention.
a visit to Vavau.