358 cook's second voyage may, 



Going ashore in the afternoon, I found the chief just 

 sitting down to dinner. I cannot say what w 7 as the 

 occasion of his dining so late. As soon as he was 

 seated, several people began chewing the pepper-root ; 

 about a pint of the juice of which, without an}' mix- 

 ture, was the first dish, and was dispatched in a mo- 

 ment. A cup of it was presented to me ; but the 

 manner of brewing it was at this time sufficient. 

 Oedidee was not so nice, but took what I refused. 

 After this the chief washed his mouth with cocoa-nut- 

 water ; then he eat of repe, plantain, and mahee, of 

 each not a little ; and lastly finished his repast by 

 eating, or rather drinking, about three pints of popoie ; 

 which is made of bread-fruit, plantains, mahee, &c* 

 beat together and diluted with water till it is of the 

 consistence of a custard. This was at the outside of 

 his house In the open air ; for at this time, a play was 

 acting within, as was done almost every day in the 

 neighbourhood; but they were such poor perform- 

 ances that I never attended. I observed that, after 

 the juice had been squeezed out of the chewed pep- 

 per-root for the chief, the fibres were carefully picked 

 up and taken away by one of his servants. On my 

 asking what he intended to do with it, I was told he 

 would put water to it, and strain it again. Thus he 

 would make what I will call small beer. 



The 23d, wind easterly, as it had been ever since 

 we left Otaheite. Early in the morning, we unmoored, 

 and at eight weighed and put to sea. The good old 

 chief was the last man who went out of the ship. At 

 parting I told him we should see each other no more ; 

 at which he wept, and said, Let your sons come, we 

 will treat them well." Oree is a good man, in the ut- 

 most sense of the word ; but many of the people are 

 far from being of that disposition, and seem to take 

 advantage of his old age ; Teraderre his grandson 

 and heir being yet but a youth. The gentle treat- 

 ment the people of this isle ever met with from me, 

 and the careless and imprudent manner in which 



