Ten years in southcentral Polynesia Author:Thomas West Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. The first Sight of the Friendly Islands—Reef Navigation—A Romish Pilot — Nukualofa—Safety of the Roadstead—Description of the Town—Structure of N... more »ative Houses—Arrival of the Royal Fleet—Strange Appearance of the 'Canoes in the Distance—Description of their Structure—A remarkable Escape at Sea—Manner of Arrival or Departure on a Folau, or Voyage—Debarcation of King George and his Chiefs—Personal Interview—Outline of King George's History—Native Pedigrees—The Tuitogans—Their Abnegation of Power— Succession of Tonguese Kings—Josiah Tubou—His Death, and the Accession of King George—His Age—Early Escape from Drowning—Subsequent Career of the King—The fiist Sabbath in Tonga—Departure for Vavau— Haabai—Tugua—The Rev. William Webb—Remarkable Deliverance from Imminent Danger—First Trip in a Native Kalia—Lifuka—Arrival in Vavau. It was early one lovely tropical morning when we gazed for the first time on the dim outline of Tongatabu and its surrounding islands. The previous night had been oppressively sultry, and we needed no second invitation, when, at break of day, the cry of " Land! ho ! " summoned us away from the suffocating atmosphere below deck. There was not even a morning cloud in the sky, and the grand orb of day rose in unrivalled splendour. The ripple at the bow of the " Triton," and the subdued surging of the waters as she glided along, seemed to be more lively and inspiriting than usual. Every thing appeared preternaturally bright and invigorating. The sun was just high enough to bathe the surface of the ocean in golden glory, without any of the intensity of his meridian heat. Rainbow colours danced and sparkled on the broken crests of the waves, and the morning light brought out in sharp relief the outlines of islands on either side of the ship's course. ...« less