I have frequently mentioned a king, which implies the government being in a single person, without knowing for certain whether it is so or no.  Such an one was however pointed out to us; and we had no reason to doubt it.  From this, and other circumstances, I am of opinion that the government is much like that of Otaheite:  That is, in a king or great chief, who is here called Areeke, with other chiefs under him, who are lords of certain districts, and perhaps sole proprietors, to whom the people seem to pay great obedience.  I also observed a third rank, who had not a little authority over the common people; my friend Attago was one of these.  I am of opinion that all the land on. Tongatabu is private property, and that there are here, as at Otaheite, a set of people, who are servants or slaves, and have no property in land.  It is unreasonable to suppose every thing in common in a country so highly cultivated as this.  Interest being the greatest spring which animates the hand of industry, few would toil in cultivating and planting the land, if they did not expect to reap the fruit of their labour:  Were it otherwise, the industrious man would be in a worse state than the idle sluggard.  I frequently saw parties of six, eight, or ten people, bring down to the landing place fruit and other things to dispose of, where one person, a man or woman, superintended the sale of the whole; no exchanges were made but with his or her consent; and whatever we gave in exchange was always given them, which I think plainly shewed them to be the owners of the goods, and the others no more than servants.  Though benevolent nature has been very bountiful to these isles, it cannot be said that the inhabitants are wholly exempt from the curse of our forefathers:  Part of their bread must be earned by the sweat of their brows.  The high state of cultivation their lands are in, must have cost them immense labour.  This is now amply rewarded by the great produce, of which every one seems to partake.  No one wants the common necessaries of life; joy and contentment are painted in every face.  Indeed, it can hardly be otherwise; an easy freedom prevails among all ranks of people; they feel no wants which they do not enjoy the means of gratifying; and they live in a clime where the painful extremes of heat and cold are equally unknown.  If nature has been wanting in any thing, it is in the article of fresh water, which as it is shut up in the bowels of the earth, they are obliged to dig for.  A running stream was not seen, and but one well, at Amsterdam.  At Middleburg, we saw no water but what the natives had in vessels; but as it was sweet and cool, I had no doubt of its being taken up upon the island; and probably not far from the spot where I saw it.