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HOW I BECAME A PRIVY COUNCILLOR.

I WOKE early with the feeling that a crisis had to be gone through during the day, and that we should need all our energies. I fondly hoped that a spark of enthusiasm would have been awakened in the breast of my colleague, and that he would be as eager as I to have a common plan of action laid down before our visit to the king, on which so much depended. But to my intense disgust the kavabowl, surrounded by its ministering spirits, was in course of preparation, and a precious hour was wasted. I lived to know that to expect a Tongan chief to forego native ceremonial in the exigencies of public business is to court disappointment. We had time for a hurried meal when Fatafehi, clad in decent black, came to escort me to the royal presence. He thought it better that I should see the king alone before the Council, and present the precious. log of sandal-wood that I had brought as a present from the High Commissioner. He would stay, he said, during the interview and interpret for me. Eight men were produced, who lifted the tree on their shoulders, and preceded us to the native house that did duty for a palace, and,

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laying it endways to the door so that its entire length could be seen from within, retired. Then Fatafehi and I came forward. As soon as the king saw us he rose from his seat to fetch a chair for me from several that were set round the table in readiness for the Council. He was dressed in European clothes of rusty black cloth, and appeared to have been waiting for us for some time. The

King George Tubou.

house was divided into three by reed partitions, and very meanly furnished: a green iron bedstead in the inner room covered with mats was the only bedroom furniture, and besides the table and and office chairs in the middle room, there was only a shelf of the commonest crock

ery. The outer room was occupied

by his servants, who, I believe, were prisoners. It was characteristic of the king that while he had a wellfound house in Nukualofa, he lived from choice on the barest necessaries, and spent a large portion of his income on building churches.

After we had shaken hands, Fatafehi announced in a stentorian voice that I had brought a little sandal-wood

from the High Commissioner. The king said, "Fakafetai” (Thanks), and there was a pause. I looked round for my interpreter: he was gone! Here was I left sitting face to face with a monarch whose language I knew very imperfectly, bound to make a good impression while bellowing my halting sentences into his uncomprehending ear.

"Fatafehi shall pay for this," I thought savagely, trying the while to assume what I hoped was an ingratiating smile. The king laughed pleasantly.

"Malo hoo lelci" (I am glad you are well), he said.

I thought of the matabules, blessing them, and shouted, "Koe!"

"Ah, you speak Tongan," said his Majesty, amiably.

There was silence, and to save the situation I said that I had lately been in the part of New Guinea to which the missionaries were going. The king was interested, and asked what the people were like. "Is it true that they are telefua?" he said. The word telefua was unfamiliar, but I nevertheless shouted the universal "Koe!" He chuckled much at this, and I wondered more than ever what telefua could mean. Then I tried to lead the

conversation into political channels, and spoke of the debt.

But we will pay it," he said.

"Yes, if the people will pay their taxes," I replied. "Of course they will pay their taxes," he answered with easy conviction.

After a few more remarks I murmured something about the Privy Council, and took my leave. Upon Fatafehi,

airing himself outside, I poured the vials of my wrath, and asked what telefua meant.

"Having no covering-naked," he answered; "but why do you ask?"

'Because," I replied savagely, "since you did not stay to interpret for me as you promised, I have told the king that the New Guinea people go about naked, which is not true." Fatafehi laughed his hereditary laugh.

At ten o'clock we went down to meet the king in Council, followed by Mataka with his shorthand note-book and the Council minutes. As we went in the king took his place before a large Tongan Bible at the head of the table. Fatafehi and Tukuaho had moved to their seats, and I was on the point of taking mine when the king caught sight of me. My back was to the light and my face in shadow. He peered at me and said, "Who is this papalagi (foreigner) who comes to our Council?"

Tukuaho said, "It is he of whom I told your Majesty.1 He who has come to help us, and make things plain."

"We have sent one foreigner away," said the king, " and you bring another: I thought that the Council was to be for ourselves."

This was a facer: without being in the Privy Council I should be utterly powerless, quite apart from the loss of prestige that such a rebuff would entail if it got abroad.

1 "Hoo Afio" is an exact equivalent for your Majesty, and the words are used in precisely the same connection. In former times they were addressed to the Tui Tonga only. In speaking of the king to a third person, "Ene Afio" (his Majesty) is said. Besides these words a number of special words for the verbs of sensation are used in speaking of, or to, the king or the Deity.

I had never been warned that the king was less anxious for my coming than were his Ministers, nor that the principal argument used by his chiefs to induce him to dismiss Mr Baker was that they were quite prepared to govern their country without help from any foreigner. It flashed through my mind that I might stand on my dignity as the emissary of a foreign Government sent at the king's own request conveyed through his chief Minister, and insist upon the choice between admitting me to the Council or allowing me to resign and leave Tonga; but with the thought came the reflection that he would either admit me unwillingly, and henceforth regard me with suspicion, or accept my resignation. In the latter event I should return to Fiji to confess myself unable to do the work I had undertaken and English interests would be in a worse position than if I had never come; for with their sovereign's views every Tongan would agree, the Government would flounder deeper into the mire, and the German Vice-Consul would be invited to give the aid in financial matters that I had failed to afford. So during the silence that followed the king's last remark, my mind was made up; I would simply stand where I was, and pretend not to hear what was said. Fatafehi's elbow was close to me, and I fell back upon the undignified expedient of pinching it. He understood, and began to shout persuasive words into the king's ear.

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"Pardon me," he said, "it is about the money. Which of us understands the way of money, and such foreigners' things? But this gentleman will explain it all to us: he is here only as an expounder."