When Captain Cook made landfall at the Tongan archipelago during his second Pacific voyage in early October 1773, the god-like Tuʻi Tonga had ruled the Tongan Empire for over eight centuries. In the 3,000 years that Polynesians, originally from Taiwan via Samoa and Fiji, had colonized the 170 islands of Tonga, an extremely stable society had developed. However, the Europeans with their overwhelming firearms were met with caution. It was not until Cook’s third voyage around the world in 1777 that the British navigator had a personal encounter with Paulaho, the reigning 36th Tuʻi Tonga, descendant of Tangaloa, the supreme Tongan god.
To mark the occasion, a great festival was held on the island of Lifuka, where thousands of Tongans gathered around the Tuʻi Tonga, the British commander and his crew. James Cook noted “The Multitude… formed a large circle… a number of men entered… armed with Clubs made of the green branches of the Cocoanut tree… but soon after went to single Combat.” British sailors also participated in the wrestling. However, “… in wrestling with them our people were almost constantly worsted” as Cook’s companion James Burney noted.
The fact that Cook’s ships repeatedly visited the Tongan archipelago in 1773, 1774, and 1777, and even stayed longer than three months on the main islands of Tongatapu and 'Eua, Nomuka, and Lifuka on Cook’s third circumnavigation – longer than anywhere else in Oceania – illustrates why James Cook christened the central archipelago of the South Pacific the “Friendship Islands. After all, the Tongans not only fed up to 200 British men for months at a time during their landings in Tonga, but they also provided plenty of provisions for Cook's other Pacific voyages from the South Pole to Alaska.
His first impression of the island of `Eua, probably the first European encounter with Tonga since its “discovery” by the Dutchman Willem Schouten in 1616, was succinctly described by Cook’s accompanying officer James Burney in his ship’s journal in 1773: “The Land is quite level – its appearance ... as beautiful as can be imagined – Natives friendly ....”
Trade was brisk within the first few days of the visit. Apparently, everyone on board the two British ships understood that exclusive “souvenirs” from Tonga could fetch top prices among South Sea curiosity collectors in London.