332 COCOA-NUT TREE. 



fourteen or fifteen cocoa-nuts. When fresh, the 

 oil is used in cookery, and has an excellent 

 flavour ; the Singalese anoint their bodies with 

 it after bathing, and invariably use it for the sake 

 of giving a glossy and smooth appearance to the 

 hair, and it is in great requisition by both sexes. 



The remains of the cocoa-nut, from which the 

 oil has been extracted, is called by the Singalese 

 Poonak, and the best Poonak is obtained when 

 the oil is extracted by pressure ; it is an excel- 

 lent food for pigs, poultry, &c. This substance 

 is termed by the Tahitans Oto, and by the na- 

 tives of Tongatabu Efeniu, and they use it also 

 for fattening their pigs, poultry, &c. as also at 

 the other Polynesian islands. 



At Tahiti they procure the Morii, or oil from 

 the nuts, by first grating the kernel, then depo- 

 siting it in the hollow trunk of a tree, or some 

 kind of hollow vessel, which is exposed to the 

 sun during the day. After a few days have 

 elapsed, the grated nut is heaped up in the 

 trough or vessel, leaving a space between the 

 heaps, the oil exuding drains into the hollow 

 spaces, from whence it is collected by the natives 

 into large bamboo canes ; (containing each a 

 gallon, or more ;) in this way it is sold for ship- 

 ping, or rather exchanged for axes, cotton, cloth, 

 or rum ; but the indolence of the natives pre- 



