THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 317 



liquor. While it was preparing, others were employed in '777' 



making drinking cups of plantain leaves. The firft cup * /-— / 



that was filled, was prefented to the king, and he ordered 

 it to be given to another perfon. The fecond was alfo 

 brought to him, which he drank, and the third was offered 

 to me. Afterward, as each cup v/as filled, the man who 

 filled it, aflced, who was to have it ? Another then named the 

 perfon ; and to him it was carried. As the bowl grew low, 

 the man who diflributed the liquor feemed rather at a lofs 

 to whom cups of it fliould be next fent, and frequently con- 

 fulted chofe who fat near him. This mode of diflribution 

 continued, while any liquor remained ; and though not 

 half the company had a fliare, yet no one feemed diflatif- 

 fied. About half a dozen cups ferved for all ; and each, as 

 it was emptied, was thrown down upon the ground, where 

 the fervants picked it up, and carried it to be filled again. 

 During the whole time, the Chief and his circle fat, as was 

 ufually the cafe, with a great deal of gravity, hardly fpeak- 

 ing a word to each other. 



We had long waited in expe<5lation, each moment, of 

 feeing the mourning ceremony begin ; when, foon after 

 the kava was drank out, to our great furprize and difap- 

 pointment, they all rofe up and difperfed ; and Poulaho told 

 us, he was now ready to attend us to the fhips. If this was 

 a mourning ceremony, it was a ftrange one. Perhaps, it 

 was the fecond, third, or fourth mourning; or, which was- 

 not very uncommon, Omai might have mifunderftood what 

 Poulaho faid to him. For, excepting the change of drefa, 

 and the putting the green bough round their necks, no- 

 thing feemed to have pafTed at this meeting, but what we 

 iaw them pradife, too frequently, every day. 



« We 



