BY N. DE MIKLOUHO-MACLAY. 351 



I wi'ote therefore to a friend of mine in Samoa and received from 

 thence some leaves and fruits of the P. methysticum, which enabled 

 Dr. Scheffer to make sure that the heu is the true P. niethysticum 

 of the Islands of the Pacific. (1) 



All natives of the Maclay-Coast do notuse theA;e?*,in some villages 

 this stimulant and its effect are known, but the use of it has not 

 been adopted ; in some others, it is not known at all. These facts 

 makes me think, that the custom of drinking the keic has been 

 introduced on the JNlaclay-Coast not very long ago (the natives 

 however have no tradition about its introduction) and is still in 

 the pi-ogressing stage. 



The keu slirub is cultivated in the villages and on plantations, 

 but I never heard that it grows wild at the Maclay-Coast. 



I may add here an interesting fact, told me by Rev. W. G. Lawes 

 in answer to my enquiries concerning the use of P. methysticum on 

 the South-Coast of New Guinea, Mr. Lawes informed me, that as 

 far his experience goes, the use of this stimulant is completely 

 unknown to the natives of the South-Coast of New Guinea and the 

 Louisiade Archipelago, but, that the plant (P. me^Ays^icttm) is growing 

 wild in many localities in the forest. The Rev. W. G. Lawes 

 has been often told about it by missionary teachers, who being 

 Polynesians (from Tonga, Samoa, and Tahiti), knew the kava plant 

 well. 



30. Zingiber affichialis (^Li) is used as a dainty-dish after meals, 

 mixed with ashes, the native substitute of salt (2) and as an onim 

 (■medicine). 



31. Cinnamomum sintoc (^Afuiu). The bark is esteemed by 

 the natives as an onim. 



(1) Annales du Jardin botanique de Buitenzorg. I., p. 51. 



(2) Besides the sea-water (^ to § of fresh water) which the natives use to 

 cook their food, they have another substitute for salt — the ashes of logs of 

 trees which after floating in the sea for months are cast up at high tides and 

 whicli are collected, dried and burnt by the natives — the ashes procured in 

 this way, has a saltish taste. This kind of salt is principally used by the 

 hill natives who find it more convenient to carry logs than bamboos tilled 

 with salt water. 



