198 cook's first voyage 1769. 



suffer no change for many months : it is taken out of 

 the hole as it is wanted for use, and being made into 

 balls, it is wrapped up in leaves and baked ; after it is 

 dressed, it will keep five or six weeks. It is eaten 

 both cold and hot, and the natives seldom make a 

 meal without it, though to us the taste was as dis- 

 agreeable as that of a pickled olive generally is the 

 first time it is eaten. 



As the making of this mahie depends, like brew- 

 ing, upon fermentation, so, like brewing, it some- 

 times fails, without their being able to ascertain the 

 cause ; it is very natural, therefore, that the making 

 it should be connected with superstitious notions and 

 ceremonies. It generally falls to the lot of the old 

 women, who will suffer no creature to touch any thing 

 belonging to it, but those whom they employ as as- 

 sistants, nor even to go into that part of the house 

 where the operation is carrying on. Mr. Banks hap- 

 pened to spoil a large quantity of it only by inad- 

 vertently touching a leaf which lay upon it. The 

 old woman, who then presided over these mysteries, 

 told him, that the process would fail; and imme- 

 diately uncovered the hole in a fit of vexation and 

 despair. Mr. Banks regretted the mischief he had 

 done, but was somewhat consoled by the opportunity 

 which it gave him of examining the preparation, 

 which perhaps, but for such an accident, would 

 never have offered. 



Such is their food, to which salt water is the uni- 

 versal sauce, no meal being eaten without it : those 

 who live near the sea have it fetched as it is wanted ; 

 those who live at some distance keep it in large bani- 

 boos, which are set up in their houses for use. Salt 

 water, however, is not their only sauce ; they make 

 another of the kernels of cocoa-nuts, which being 

 fermented till they dissolve into a paste somewhat re- 

 sembling butter, are beaten up with salt water. The 

 flavour of this is very strong, and was, when we first 

 tasted it, exceedingly nauseous ; a little use, however. 



