Accordingly, the young prince, Mareewagee, old Toobou, three or four inferior chiefs, and two respectable old ladies of the first rank, accompanied me.  Mareewagee was dressed in a new piece of cloth, on the skirts of which were fixed six pretty large patches of red feathers.  This dress seemed to have been made on purpose for this visit; for, as soon as he got on board, he put it off, and presented it to me; having, I guess, heard that it would be acceptable, on account of the feathers.  Every one of my visitors received from me such presents, as, I had reason to believe, they were highly satisfied with.  When dinner came upon table, not one of them would sit down, or eat a bit, of any thing that was served up.  On expressing my surprise at this, they were all taboo, as they said; which word has a very comprehensive meanings but, in general, signifies that a thing is forbidden.  Why they were laid under such restraints, at present, was not explained.  Dinner being over, and, having gratified their curiosity, by shewing to them every part of the ship, I then conducted them ashore.

As soon as the boat reached the beach, Feenou, and some others, instantly stepped out.  Young Fattafaihe following them, was called back by Mareewagee, who now paid the heir-apparent the same obeisance, and in the same manner, that I had seen it paid to the king.  And when old Toobou, and one of the old ladies, had shewn him the same marks of respect, he was suffered to land.  This ceremony being over, the old people stepped from my boat into a canoe that was waiting to carry them to their place of abode.

I was not sorry to be present on this occasion, as I was thus furnished with the most unequivocal proofs of the supreme dignity of Poulaho and his son, over the other principal chiefs.  Indeed, by this time, I had acquired some certain information about the relative situations of the several great men, whose names have been so often mentioned.  I now knew, that Mareewagee and old Toobou were brothers.  Both of them were men of great property in the island, and seemed to be in high estimation with the people; the former, in particular, had the very honourable appellation given to him, by every body, of Motooa Tonga; that is to say, Father of Tonga, or of his country.  The nature of his relationship to the king was also no longer a secret to us; for we now understood, that he was his father-in-law; Poulaho having married one of his daughters, by whom he had this son; so that Mareewagee was the prince’s grandfather.  Poulaho’s appearance having satisfied us, that we had been under a mistake in considering Feenou as the sovereign of these islands, we had been, at first, much puzzled about his real rank; but that was, by this time, ascertained.  Feenou was one of Mareewagee’s sons; and Tooboueitoa was another.