1840.] PREPARING TARO. 873 



such debasement of its members, and here we have another 

 important cause of the degeneracy and decay of the Hawaiian 

 race. 



Fish and taro are the chief articles of food among the 

 natives. One of them will make a meal from a small fish, 

 either dried or roasted, and a little poe. The latter is com- 

 monly eaten by thrusting the finger into the vessel containing 

 it, and turning it round until a sufficient quantity is gathered, 

 when it is carried to the mouth, and the paste sucked off 

 very much as American youngsters eat treacle. Pigs and 

 poultry, and most of the fruits and vegetables common in the 

 tropics, or the lower part of the temperate zone, are more or 

 less eaten by all classes of natives. Their mode of cooking 

 is after the true Polynesian fashion ; the articles being placed 

 in a hollow, or pit, dug in the earth and lined with heated 

 stones. The taro is converted into poe in this way : the 

 root is baked in the ground, in the manner above mentioned, 

 till it becomes dry and mealy, when it is mixed with a little 

 water, and beaten with a smooth stone, or pestle, until it has 

 the consistence of bookbinder's paste ; it is now set aside for 

 twenty-four hours, at the expiration of which it has a slightly 

 acidulous, but agreeable taste, and is fit for use. It is also 

 made in a harder state, for sea voyages or long journeys by 

 land. At such times, jerked beef, prepared from the flesh of 

 the wild cattle that roam at large through the pasture grounds 

 in the interior of the larger islands, is used instead of fish. 



All sexes and classes are much addicted to smoking, and 

 even the poorest kanaka carries his short pipe, with a quan- 

 tity of tobacco, wherever he goes. At night, too, the natives 

 will frequently get up, light their pipes, take a few puffs, 

 and then lie down again for another nap. When they smoke 

 they often blow the vapor down through their nostrils. 



Frequent bathing is practiced by the Sandwich Islanders, 

 and they are tolerably cleanly in their habits. When a per- 

 son is fatigued, they have a practice of rubbing and knead- 

 ing him, called lomi-hmi, which is quite refreshing. 



Whenever any one dies, a great outcry is made ; and the 



