ʻAta is a depopulated island in the far southern end of the Tonga archipelago, situated approximately 160 kilometres (99 mi) south-southwest of Tongatapu. After almost half its population was kidnapped in 1863 as slave labour, the King of Tonga moved the remaining inhabitants to ʻEua. It is also known as Pylstaart island. It is distinct from ʻAtā, an uninhabited, low coral island in the string of small atolls along the Piha passage along the north side of Tongatapu. An unrelated traditional chiefly title from Kolovai is "Ata". Although superficially spelled in similar ways, ʻAta means reflection in Tongan; Ata means dawn and is the title of a chief; and ʻAtā means more room or expanding. Myths Although ʻAta must have been known to Tongans from times immemorial, as it features in old myths, it may have been confused with ʻAtā, and it is alleged not to have been remembered until the Tongans were told about it by the Europeans.According to Tongan myths it was, together with ʻEua, the first island hauled up by the Maui brothers from the bottom of the sea. It originally had seven hills, but Maui stamped on the highest mountain until it was flattened into its surrounding valleys, and he did likewise with the next mountains. By the time only three hills were left, he was weary and left. With the following islands he hauled up, starting with Tongatapu, he was more careful to keep them flat. The deity Laufakanaʻa was the first ruler of ʻAta. History Archaeologist Atholl Anderson spent 18 days exploring the abandoned village of Kolomaile in 1977, which is accessible via a steep trail from the island's cobbled northern beach. Although it had been abandoned for over a century, remnants of stone walls and other evidence of human inhabitants were still visible; radiocarbon dating led Anderson to conclude that human settlement on ʻAta dated back to the 1500s or 1600s. Another archaeological survey was conducted in August 2001; fragments of pottery found during the later survey were of a type that had ceased manufacture in Tonga by 400 BC, meaning the settlement on ʻAta was considerably older than previously thought.According to oral tradition, the diviner Hama discovered ʻAta, but the first Tongans to live there were Motuʻapuaka and Tapuʻosi, who had eloped there to escape the wrath of Tapuʻosi's father, the Tuʻi Tonga Fakanaʻanaʻa; when they arrived in the early 1700s, the aboriginal inhabitants played a rough game which frightened Tapuʻosi, and Motuʻapuaka drove them into a cave, then suffocated them by building a great fire at its mouth. The two lovers were presumably accompanied by attendants, befitting their high status. They and their descendants were joined by other exiles throughout the 1700s. The first European to access ʻAta was Abel Tasman on 19 January 1643. Because of the many tropic birds he saw near the island, he gave it the name of Pylstaert Eylant or in modern Dutch Pijlstaart, meaning arrowtail, an apt description for, and in that time the name of the tropicbird. Adverse winds prohibited him from coming closer and no native people were seen coming to him in canoes either. From his position looking towards the northeast the shape of the island resembled to him the breasts of a woman. The island was visited by Captain James Cook during his second voyage on October 7, 1773, and its coordinates were corrected by Lapérouse, who referred to the island as île Plistard. Because of its remote location from the main islands of Tonga, ʻAta was largely self-governed; the Official Report on Central Polynesia by Charles St Julian stated its population was 150 in 1857. It is one of the three islands in Tonga to have been affected by the Peruvian slave trade of 1862 to 1864; of the three, it suffered the most. Slavers and evacuation In 1862, the Peruvian government had decided to invite indentured labourers to collect guano on Peru's Chincha Islands. A fleet of ships spread out over the Pacific, ostensibly to find willing migrants, but they quickly switched to plain kidnapping tactics instead. In June 1863 about 350 people lived on ʻAta in a village called Kolomaile (of which remnants were still visible a century later). Captain Thomas James McGrath of the whaler Grecian, having decided that slave trading was more profitable than whaling, came along and invited the islanders on board for trading. But once almost half of the population was on board, doors and rooms were locked, and the ship sailed away. 144 people never returned.In 1929, anthropologist Edward Winslow Gifford interviewed two ex-Kolomaileans who were schoolchildren when the Grecian took its slaves; they said that "[Paul] Vehi [Mayor of ʻAta] went aboard and presumably arranged the kidnapping. When he was returned ashore, he made a proclamation that each family was to send a good-looking man aboard with provisions to sell. There was to be no selling on shore, and furthermore the selling on the ships was to take place below decks. Once the Ata people were aboard they were sent to various rooms to select the goods they wanted in exchange. After entering the rooms the doors were locked." The whaler-turned-slaver Grecian next tried to kidnap more slaves from the Lau Islands, but was not successful there. At Niuafouʻou, the second island in Tonga to be affected, Grecian was able to kidnap only 30 people. ʻUiha was to be the third, but there the islanders had actually been able to reverse roles and ambushed the slaver Margarita instead.Grecian never made it to Peru. Probably near Puka-Puka in the Tuamotus it met another slaver, the General Prim, which had left Callao in March. Because Grecian never obtained a labour licence from Peru, General Prim was more than willing to take the 174 Tongans back to port, where it arrived on 19 July. Meanwhile, however, the Peruvian government, under pressure from foreign powers and also shocked that its labour plan had turned into a slave trade, had already cancelled all labour importation licenses on 28 April. General Prim and other ships were not allowed to land their captured South Pacific slaves on Peruvian soil, but instead the Peruvian government chartered ships to take them home. By the time the Adelante, chartered to return the Tongans, finally left on 2 October 1863, many had died or were dying from contagious diseases. In addition, Captain Escurra of the Adelante, which had been one of the most successful slavers before the licenses were revoked, had no intention to take them home after being paid $30 per head. Instead, he marooned them on uninhabited Cocos Island, well off the route to Tahiti, claiming the 426 kanakas were affected with smallpox, endangering his crew. 200 survivors were left when the whaler Active passed along and found them on 21 October. Finally, in November, the Peruvian warship Tumbes came to save the survivors, who had dwindled to just 38. They were brought to Paita, where they apparently were absorbed in the.... Discover the Rutger Bregman Erica Moore Elizabeth Man popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Rutger Bregman Erica Moore Elizabeth Man books.
Matt Foster has never met a woman he couldn't seduce into his bed. But when he meets Natasha Kingsley, there's just one little problem—she's not alone. Her three-year-old daughter wants a ...
GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK • “A total departure for the author of The Paris Wife, McLain’s emotionally intense and exceptionally well-written thril...
★ There are some wounds time just can't heal. ★ Brekka Thornton is headed for Olympic fame and glory until a car accident destroys all her plans. She redirects her efforts to...
Good news! Fannie’s back in town—and the town is among the leading characters in her new novel. Along with Neighbor Dorothy, the lady with the smile in her voice, whose daily radio broad...
From New York Times bestselling author Meghan March comes the stunning conclusion to the Forge Trilogy. In this final volume, ruthless billionaire Jericho Forge faces his toughest challenge....
A Navy SEAL commander will risk it all to save the woman he loves… Sarah Foster's dreams are about to come true. She's engaged to the man she loves, moving to Virginia Beach, and planning ...
A mage's fate is worse than death... Lucian dreams of a new life outside the cesspool of Earth. Unfortunately, his wish comes true when the government identifies him as a mage. No one knows ...
Winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize By an acclaimed writer at the height of his powers, The Sense of an Ending extends a streak of extraordinary books that began with the best-selling Arthur...
Aloysius Archer, the straight-talking World War II veteran fresh out of prison, returns in this riveting new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci. Th...
"Atmospheric and taut, A Dangerous Breed is a winner." — Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author Van Shaw’s past and present collide when ...
Bow Before Your Queen Or Bleed Before Her… From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes book three in her Blood and Ash series. She's been the victim and the surv...
Captivating and action-packed, From Blood and Ash is a sexy, addictive, and unexpected fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Laura Thalassa. A Maiden… Chosen from birth to usher in...
Three hilarious books in one from the #1 New York Times –bestselling author on marriage, motherhood, and the absurdities of suburban life. If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I D...
Murder, deception, Navajo tradition, and the stars collide in this enthralling entry in New York Times bestselling author Anne Hillerman’s Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series, set amid t...
The author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Outlander series returns with the newest novel in the epic tale. The past may seem the safest place to be . . . but it is t...
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER #1 USA TODAY BESTSELLER #1 WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER #1 INDIE BESTSELLER " The Four Winds seems eerily prescient in 2021 . . . Its message is galvanizing an...
Get the first four novels in Kim Harrison's #1 New York Times bestselling Hollows series as one e-book! This bundle includes Dead Witch Walking, The Good, the Bad, and the Undead, Every Whic...
In this #1 New York Times bestselling thriller from Harlan Coben, a dead man's secrets fall into the hands of a vigilante antihero—drawing him down a dangerous road. Over twent...
What did Mozart and Bach, Oscar Wilde and Anthony Trollope, George Washington and Frederick the Great, Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt have in common? They were all Freemasons, a...
James Patterson believes The Black Book is his best thriller ever. The Red Book is even better. For Detective Billy Harney, getting shot in the head, stalked by a...
NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR “Take my word for it, James Reece is one rowdy motherf***er. Get ready!”—Chris Pratt, star of The Terminal List , coming to Amazon Prime...
Wanted: American nanny for an adorable four-year old. Must be able to handle a moody, brooding, sexy British boss. I'm a single father, a lawyer and some say the most serious man in London. ...
In small towns, no one lets the facts get in the way of juicy gossip… Terri Rayburn is a girl with a reputation. She doesn’t deserve it, but having grown up on the outskirts of Summer Hi...
She's smart, beautiful, and she doesn't need a man to look after her. But sports agent Myron Bolitar has come into her life—big time. Now Myron's next move may be his last. . . Brend...
New York Times bestselling author Meghan March continues the story of ruthless, calculating billionaire Jericho Forge in Luck of the Devil. My poker face has always been my great...
From the USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game and 99 Percent Mine comes the clever, funny, and unforgettable story of a muscular, tattooed man hired as an assistant to two ol...
Fan-favorite heroes Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers join forces on a deadly maritime case in the remarkable new novel from #1 New York Times -bestselling author John Sandford. An off-duty...
New York Times bestselling author John Grisham takes you to a different kind of court in his first basketball novel. Samuel “Sooley” Sooleymon is a raw, young talent with big hoop ...
Laura Bishop just nabbed her first decorating commission—staging for sale a 19th-century mansion that hasn’t been updated for decades. But when a body falls from a laundry chute and land...
A masterpiece of breathtaking scope—a brilliantly conceived epic novel that traces the entire turbulent course of English history This ebook edition features a new introduction by t...
“A rollicking, foil-mouthed” [memoir]....Boehner has delivered a classic Washington “tell-all,” albeit one with his typical jocular style.” - - The Washington Post Former Speaker o...
This isn't just another case. This is family. How far will Stephanie Plum go to protect the one person who means the most to her? The stakes have never been higher in this #1 New York Times ...
The "thrilling" #1 New York Times and USA Today bestseller (Karin Slaughter): when three bodies are found in a Chicago bedroom, a black book goes missing . . . and the city has never been mo...
Twelve shocking paintings. Eleven famous murders. One missing artist . . . and one woman driven to find her—this Reese's Book Club x Hello Sunshine Selection is a “stunning achievement...
An instant New York Times Bestseller! “Consider this another vaccine against disaster. Fortunately, this dose won't cause a temporary fever—and it happens to be a rippingly good re...
From The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Came Home comes a historical novel inspired by true events, and the extraordinary female lighthouse keepers of the past t...
"A page-turner with a deep heart."—Nancy Thayer, New York Times bestselling author of Girls of Summer How do you start a new chapter of your life when you haven’t closed the book on the ...
*USA TODAY BESTSELLER* World War II Paris serves as the backdrop for a story of compassion, betrayal, and forgiveness from the national bestselling author of The Wedding Tree ... At h...
The latest nerve-shredding thriller from the bestselling author of The Dinner Party… When Leah Talbot hits a deer on a deserted road she spots a light on in a nearby house and approaches, ...
The first explosive thriller featuring Peter Ash, a veteran who finds that the demons of war aren’t easily left behind... “Lots of characters get compared to my own Jack Reacher, but Pet...
A Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick! "Plumbs the depths of marriage, motherhood and friendship with warmth and wit. I devoured it in one gulp!” —Maria Semple A warm, in...
From New York Times bestseller Lexi Ryan comes a sexy new standalone romance in the bestselling Boys of Jackson Harbor series. Meet single dad Easton Connor as he leaves the NFL and returns ...
NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR “Take my word for it, James Reece is one rowdy motherf***er. Get ready!”—Chris Pratt, all around great guy and star of The Terminal List...
When Martin McKenna was growing up in Garryowen, Ireland, in the 1970s, he felt the whole world knew him as just “that stupid boy.” Badly misunderstood by his family and teachers, Martin...
Dressed in pajamas covered with stars, the little girl’s body is perfectly still, her arms folded neatly over her chest. The wildflowers decorating her hair scatter across the grass in the...
The author of French Comfort Food shares her love of sinfully sweet desserts with recipes drawn from across France’s regional culinary traditions. In French Desserts , Hillary Davis...
"A feel-good book guaranteed to lift your spirits." —The Washington Post A New York Times bestseller | Winner of the Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction | A Good Morning ...
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK “If you love a mystery, then you’ll devour [ Northern Spy ] . . . I loved this thrill ride of a book.”—Ree...
A sexy, brother's best friend sports romance from # 1 New York Times bestseller Lauren Blakely! Let me make a few things clear. I didn’t go to the wedding intending to dance with the best ...
"A stunningly clever thriller made doubly suspenseful by not one, but two unreliable narrators." — People Sally Hepworth, the author of The Mother-In-Law delivers a knock-out of a novel ab...
Listen The Devil's Hand (Unabridged) - Jack Carr audiobook, mp3 download.
Listen Greenlights (Unabridged) - Matthew McConaughey audiobook, mp3 download.
Listen The Terminal List (Unabridged) - Jack Carr audiobook, mp3 download.
Listen On the House - John Boehner audiobook, mp3 download.
Listen Rich Dad Poor Dad: 20th Anniversary Edition: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! (Unabridged) - Robert T. Kiyosaki audiobook, mp3 download.
Listen Ocean Prey (Unabridged) - John Sandford audiobook, mp3 download.
Listen The Honey-Don't List (Unabridged) - Christina Lauren audiobook, mp3 download.
Listen Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds (Unabridged) - David Goggins audiobook, mp3 download.
Listen The Summer House - James Patterson & Brendan DuBois audiobook, mp3 download.
Listen True Believer (Unabridged) - Jack Carr audiobook, mp3 download.