Four Years A Prince of Tonga 1806 - 1810

At 15 years old William Mariner was a Cabin Boy travelling on a Privateer the ‘Port au Prince’ to South America and the Pacific Ocean in 1805 to hunt for wealth. On their travels they ravaged and looted Spanish colonies in South America including a Catholic church of all its silverware and some gold. However, in Tonga the warriors of King Finau ‘Ulukalala II launched a surprise attack and captured the Port au Prince and the ship was burnt. Mariner was only 16, but he was saved to teach them how to use the guns of the Port au Prince as Tonga was in a civil war. After being adopted by the King, Mariner helped the King in his battles on the main island, Tongatapu, and the Ha’apai and Vava’u groups of islands. In 1810, Mariner finally had an opportunity to return to England on a brig called the ‘Favourite’. Thus Mariner became William Mariner Prince Toki Ukamea (Prince of Tonga) while he was there from 1806 – 1810.