COOKERY. AVA. 481 



The only intoxicating liquor was the ava, an infusion made 

 from the root, stalks, and leaves of a kind of pepper, which, 

 however, fortunately for them, was entirely forbidden to the 

 women, and seldom permitted to the lower classes. In some 

 of the other islands this liquid is prepared in a very disgusting 

 way. The roots were broken in pieces, cleaned, chewed, and 

 then placed in a wooden bowl, mixed with a certain quantity 

 of water, and stirred up with the hands. In Tahiti, however, 

 the chewing was dispensed with. The wooden bowls out of 

 which the chiefs drank their ava were often very fair speci- 

 mens of carving. In the Sandwich Islands they are described 

 as having been "usually about eight or ten inches in diameter, 

 perfectly round, and beautifully polished. They are supported 

 by three, and sometimes four, small human figures, in various 

 attitudes. Some of them rest on the hands of their sup- 

 porters, extended over the head : others on the head and 

 hands ; and some on the shoulders." These figures are said 

 to have been " accurately proportioned and neatly finished, 

 and even the anatomy of the muscles, in supporting the 

 weight, well expressed.* 



Captain Cook-f- gives an interesting description of the 

 manner in which the chiefs dined. They had no table, and 

 each person ate alone and in silence. Some leaves were 

 spread on the ground to serve as a table-cloth, and a basket 

 was set by the chief containing his provision, which, if fish 

 or flesh, was ready dressed and wrapped in leaves. Two 

 cocoa-nut shells were put by the side, one containing salt 

 water and the other fresh. He first washed his hands and 

 mouth thoroughly with the fresh water, and this he repeated 

 almost continually through the meal. He then took part of 

 his provision out of the basket, which generally consisted of a 

 small fish or two, two or three bread-fruits, fourteen or fifteen 

 ripe bananas, or six or seven apples. He began by eating 



* Third Voyage, vol. iii. p. 148. t First Voyage, vol. ii. p. 200. 



2i 



