The Tongan Forts

In the following account of the Tongan forts it will be seen that they closely resembled the pa maori of New Zealand in the nature and disposition of the defences, and that such methods were probably learned from the Fijians.

The following remarks on the fortified places of the Tongan Group are taken from Mariner's work:—"The fortress of Niooca-lofa [?Nukualofa] is situated on the west coast of the island, about one hundred yards distant from the water's edge, and occupies about four or five acres of ground. It consists, in the first place, of a strong wall or fencing of reeds, something like wicker work, supported on the inside by upright posts, from 6 in. to 9 in. in diameter, and situated a foot and a half distant from each other; to which the reed work is firmly lashed by tough sinnet made of the husk of the cocoanut. This fencing is about 9 ft. in height, the posts rising about a foot higher: it has four large entrances, as well as several small ones, secured on the inside by horizontal sliding pieces, made of the wood of the cocoanut tree. Over each door, as well as at other places, are erected platforms even with the top of the fencing, supported chiefly on the inside, but projecting forward to the extent of two or three feet; these platforms are about 9 ft. square and situated 15 yds. distant from each other; and as they are intended for the men to stand on, to shoot arrows, or throw down large stones, they are also defended in front, and half way on each side, by a reed work 6 ft. high, with an opening in front, and others on either side, for the greater convenience of throwing spears, etc. The lower fencing has also openings for a similar purpose. On the outside is a ditch of nearly 12 ft. deep, and as much broad; which, at a little distance, is encompassed by another fencing similar to the first, with platforms, etc., on the outside of which there is a second ditch. The earth dug out of these ditches forms a bank on each side, serving to deepen them. Opposite each large doorway, there is no ditch dug. The inner and outer fencings are ornamented profusely with white shells. Some of these fortifications are square, others round. That of Nioocalofa was round."

These fortified places seem to have been termed kolo (Maori koro) by the Tongans, for, further on in his narrative, Mariner says:—"Fin-au and his army landed at Nukualofa for the purpose of rebuilding page 418the kolo, or fortress … a vast number of hands was employed, and in two days the building was finished. … During the time this was about, several of the men got dangerously wounded by falling into the lovosas and sokies, of which there were several on the land side of the kolo. Lovosas are pitfalls, dug 5 ft. deep and 4 ft. board: several stakes of bamboo are driven into the bottom, and sharpened. Sokies are smaller holes, with one stake in, and large enough to admit a man's leg. These pits are covered over with slender sticks concealed from sight by plantain leaves and earth."

At another place in his narrative, he writes:—"The fortress, on the top of a steep rising ground, as seen from the canoes, presented a most formidable and warlike appearance; its extent seemed enormous, and the tops of the white reeds, which were seen at a distance above the banks of red clay. … On the top of the banks [earthworks] a number of warriors, armed with clubs and spears, were running to and fro…."

In yet another place, he speaks of one of these fortified places being destroyed by fire. Four hundred men rushed the place, each being provided with a spear having a lighted torch fixed at about a foor from the point of it—"At a signal every man threw his flaming weapon at the fencing, or into the garrison." Thus the place was reduced by fire.

Of the Tongan forts Captain Erskine wrote in 1840:—"An hour's walk took us to the village, which is surrounded by a ditch, nearly dry, of about 12 ft. wide, and protected by a mud wall of the same thickness, and 15 ft. in height. This wall is pierced by loopholes for musketry, made of hollow wooden pipes, and is strengthened in¬ternally by trunks of cocoanut trees, driven firmly into the ground, the whole being surmounted by a high reed fence. The gate by which we entered is in about the centre of the eastern face, and is defended by a kind of portcullis and flank defences of rough logs, pierced with loopholes."

Here we plainly have a gun-fighter's fort, with a stockade on the top of the dyke or earthen wall. It seems, however, that the pa of Tonga was modelled on those of Fiji of pre-European times, with which group the Tongans had long been in communication.

According to Pritchard, author of Polynesian Reminiscences, the Tongans learned some of their knowledge of fortification from Mariner, who lived among them for years. Pritchard says: "Having been taught by Mariner, the Tongans possess a better knowledge of fortification than the Samoans, though not better than the Fijians, who are self-taught in the science. In Fiji and Tonga the strength of a fort consists in the depth and breadth of the moat, page 419while in Samoa (except where they have borrowed from the Tongans) a rude palisade or log fence is the sole protection."

The Rev. T. West, author of Ten Years in South Central Poly¬nesia, remarks—"The Tongans were in the habit of constructing very complete, strong, and well arranged fortifications, from whence their fighting excursions were made. In besieging such places, they well understood the method of approaching by trenches, and rifle pits, defended by earthworks and strong stockades."

Williams tells us that, when the Tongans invaded Tongatapu, the folk of that isle encamped upon the only hill on the island, "and there entrenched themselves by digging two deep ditches round it, the earth of which formed embankments that remain nearly perfect to the present day. Upon the top of these they erected strong reed fences, and, thus fortified and entrenched, they awaited in confident security the attack of the invaders."

Captain Berry, in his Reminiscences, makes a few brief remarks on a Tongan village seen by him early in the 19th century:—"The fortification consisted of a double bamboo stockade. The entranc gate [? passage] was long and crooked, and well supplied with bar The city was compactly built together, but the streets were narro and crooked."

In these descriptions we see well known and old devices of the Maori and Fijian folk. The earthen ramparts 15 ft. in height on the top of which defenders took their stand, the fighting stages projecting outward beyond the stockade for the defence of gate¬ways and other parts, and furnished with breastworks, were com¬mon Maori devices. We shall meet with them again in Melanesia. There is no evidence to show that our Maori folk ever employed caltrops in warfare.

Mariner's own evidence shows us that the Tongans were well acquainted with such defensive works as those of Fiji and New Zealand on his arrival in the group. They may possibly have gained from him some hints connected with gun fighting.