312 A NATURALIST OX THE "CHALLENGER." 



before they commence their task. There is a considerable 

 amount of knack to be acquired in the chewing of the kaava 

 root. If it is well chewed very little saliva should be mixed 

 with it, and it should be produced from the mouth in an almost 

 dry round mass about as large as the mouth can contain. 



The masses produced by several chewers are mixed with 

 water and the infusion is strained, as has been often described. 

 The bowl is placed in front of the chief. It is a four-legged 

 wooden bowl cut out of a single block. It has a string of cocoa- 

 nut fibre fastened to it underneath to a loop cut in the wood. 

 By this string the bowl, when not in use, is hung up against the 

 wall in the chief's house. When the prepared bowl is placed 

 before the chief it must always be so turned that the string 

 is directed away from him. The chief is served first in his own 

 private cocoanut shell. Then the others present, in order of 

 their rank and position of their seats, receive shells full. We 

 were always served immediately after the chief. It is the 

 correct thing to drink the cocoanut-shell full off at a draught, 

 and then spin the cup on its pointed end on the mat in front of 

 one and say " amava," or a word sounding closely like this, 

 meaning, I was told, " it is emptied ; " in fact, " no heel taps." 

 After the chief has drunk, the company all clap their hands in 

 token of respect. 



A considerable quantity of kaava, of a strength such as that 

 of the infusion ordinarily drunk at Fiji, must be taken in order 

 to produce intoxication ; but I have known a single cocoanut- 

 shell of strong Fijian kaava make an Englishman unaccustomed 

 to the drink feel a little dizzy and shaky about the legs. There 

 is a very great difference in the strength of kaava, depending 

 very much on whether the portion of the root employed is young 

 or old, and of course on the amount of water employed. 



The infusion of the pepper-root is not allowed to stand so as 

 to ferment, but some change probably is effected in the active 

 principles by the action of saliva, for grated kaava, which is now 

 used in Tonga, by order of the missionaries, as a substitute for 

 the chewed preparation, is not so good as the latter. I have 

 known three-quarters of an ordinary tumbler-full of Awa (the 

 Hawaian forrn of the Polynesian name for the drink), specially 



