The chief, Feenough, went off to an island about two days' sail away, in order to obtain some of the feather caps which were held in high estimation; and Cook promised to wait for his return, but finding the fresh supplies were running short, he sailed along the south of the reef and put in to a bay in Lefooga. On the way the Discovery ran on a shoal, but managed to back off without damage. Although he was not short of water, Cook went ashore to inspect some well which he had been informed contained water of a very superior quality, but he found it very bad, and says: "This will not be the only time I shall have to remark that these people do not know what good water is." Near these wells was a large artificial mound about forty feet high, and fifty feet diameter on the top, on which large trees were growing. At the foot was a hewn block of coral, four feet broad, two and a half feet thick, and fourteen feet high, but the natives present said that there was only one half of it above ground. It was supposed to have been erected to the memory of a great chief, but how many years ago it was impossible to guess.
KING POLAHO.
Whilst anchored here, a large sailing canoe arrived, having on board a chief who was treated by the natives with the utmost respect, and the visitors were given to understand that Tattafee Polaho was the king of all the islands. He was invited on board, and brought with him as a present:
"two good fat hogs, though not so fat as himself, for he was the most corporate, plump fellow we had met with. I found him to be a sedate, sensible man; he viewed the ship and the several new objects with uncommon attention, and asked several pertinent questions."
In return Cook was invited ashore, and when they were seated, the natives who had been trading submitted the articles they had received for Polaho's inspection, who enquired what each one had sold, and seemed pleased with the bargains made. Everything was returned to its owner, excepting a red glass bowl to which the king had taken a great fancy. According to Mr. Basil Thomson, who was for some years in the Pacific Islands, a red glass bowl was given by the King of Tonga to the notorious Mr. Shirley Baker, as a relic of Captain Cook, but was unfortunately broken in New Zealand. It was most probably the one in question. Before leaving, Polaho presented Cook with one of the red feather caps made from the tail feathers of the bird the Sandwich Islanders call Iiwi (Vestiaria coicinea), which were evidently considered of extreme value. At the same time he gave Cook, Clerke, and Omai some of the red feathers of paraquets which, though much in demand, were not to be purchased.
On 29th May they sailed for Tongatabu, but, the wind failing, they nearly ran ashore on the 31st on a low sandy island on which the sea was breaking very heavily. Fortunately all hands had just been engaged in putting the ship about, "so that the necessary movements were not only executed with judgment but with alertness, and this alone saved the ship." Cook confesses that he was tired of beating about in these dangerous waters, and felt relieved to get back to his old anchorage off Annamooka. Feenough here rejoined the ship, and his behaviour before Polaho was sufficient evidence as to the high position held by the latter, for he made a deep reverence to him, and afterwards would not eat or drink in his presence, but left the cabin as soon as dinner was announced.
AN ENTERTAINMENT.
On 6th June they sailed for Tongatabu again, accompanied by some sailing canoes which could all easily outdistance the two ships. A good anchorage was found, and Cook's old friends, Otago and Toobough, were soon on board to greet them. As it was proposed to make a short stay, the cattle were landed, the observatory set up, and the sail-makers set to work to overhaul the sails, for much-required repairs. Cook speaks very highly of the orderly behaviour of the natives, many of whom had never seen a white man before. Hearing much of an important chief named Mariwaggee, Cook persuaded the king to escort a party to his residence, which was found to be pleasantly situated on an inlet where most of the chiefs resided, surrounded by neatly fenced plantations; but they were informed that Mariwaggee had gone to see the ships. This was found to be untrue, but the next day he appeared, accompanied by a large number of both sexes, and Cook at once landed with some presents for him, only to find he was accompanied by another chief, to whom something had to be given as well. Fortunately the two were easily satisfied, and the present was divided between them. Mariwaggee was found to be the father of Feenough, and the father-in-law of the king. He gave a grand entertainment of singing and dancing in honour of the strangers, which commenced about eleven in the morning and lasted till between three and four in the afternoon, and wound up with a presentation of a large number of yams, each pair of the roots being tied to a stick about six feet long, and decorated with fish. Cook says it was hard to say which was the most valuable, the yams for food or the sticks for firewood; but, as for the fish, "it might serve to please the sight, but was very offensive to the smell, as some of it had been kept two or three days for this occasion." More singing and dancing then took place, and then the English gave a display of fireworks, which "astonished and highly entertained" the natives.
Being afraid that some of his live stock might be stolen, Cook tried to interest some of the chiefs in them by presenting the king with a bull and cow and some goats; to Feenough a horse and mare, and to Mariwaggee a ram and two ewes. Some one, however, was not satisfied, and a kid and two turkey cocks were stolen; and as thefts had been frequent and very daring, including an attempt to steal one of the anchors of the Discovery, which would have been successful had not one of the flukes of the anchor got fixed in one of the chain plates, Cook determined to put his foot down. He seized three canoes, and, hearing Feenough and some other chiefs were in a house together, he placed a guard over them and informed them they would be detained till the stolen goods were returned. They took the matter coolly, and said that everything should be returned. Some of the things being produced, Cook invited his prisoners on board ship to dine, and when they came back the kid and a turkey were brought, so the prisoners and canoes were released. At one time a small hostile demonstration was made by the natives, but the landing of a few marines and an order from the king put an end to it.