Nukualofa Tortoise

Was In King’s Garden In 1885

Letter to the Editor IT may interest the writer of the article about Captain Cook’s tortoise in Nukualofa (published in February issue of the PIM) if I tell him what I know about this tortoise, called “Tui Malila.”

One day, in 1885, while residing in Felemea, Haapai, I went to Lifuka (the Island where the Government is situ ated) to transact some business and to buy some fresh bread. While I was at Mr. Smith’s bakehouse, a messenger came, and told me that King George Tubou I wanted to see me. I was a poor Tonga linguist, so I asked Mr. Smith to come with me, and act as interpreter.

King George was on a visit to Haapai and was living in a large Tongan house, built of Kaho.

I entered the house and saw King George sitting on a high pile of fine mats. He beckoned me to come to sit alongside him. As there were no chairs in the house, Mr. Smith had to sit cross legged on the floor.

The King asked me if I had been in New Britain. I said I had.

“Did you visit the Rev. Dr. George Brown, of the Wesleyan Church?” he asked.

I told him I did.

I had to answer many questions about the Wesleyan Church in New Britain, and say if I thought they had made any progress.

I said that there were Wesleyan and Catholic Missions there, but that pro gress had been very slow, as the New Britain natives were still cannibals—l had twice seen human flesh being eaten.

“I prefer tortoise,” said the King, and then he asked me if there were many tortoises in New Britain.

I told him there were many—that I used to go every morning and dig up a few tortoise-eggs for my breakfast and that I had also had a very large tortoise in my yard, big enough for a child to ride on.

The King said he also had a large tor toise in Nukualofa, over 100 years old, which Captain Cook presented to—(he told me the name but I have forgotten it)—a very high female chief. (After reading the article in the PIM, I made enquiries and I was told the name was the “Tamaka Moungalakeba,’ a Tongan leader to whom Bau made “moemoe.’ ) The King said the next time I came to Nukualofa I should come to the Palace, and see if I could ride the tortoise. I saw the tortoise in 1895—a very large specimen, but not a beauty. Several of the shells were cracked and, on one side, it was bruised. Not being a de Rouge mont, I did not ride it.

The tortoise which was presented by someone to the Governor of NSW, and is now in the Botanical Gardens in Sydney, may have come from Tonga. But it cannot be an offspring of the “Tui Malila,” as it is a male, and does not lay eggs, and there is no record that Captain Cook landed two tortoises.

I am, etc.,

F. T. Goedicke Van Asten.

Haapai, Tonga, 6 4/1950.

M. Raoul Thomas, of the Police Dep artment of the New Caledonian Adminis tration, has been staying at Coogee, Sydney, on three months’ leave. He re turned to Noumea at the end of August by air. Madam Thomas, who accompanied him to Australia, returned to New Cale donia in July.