LIFE IN SAMOA. 229 



Each one emptied the shell at a single draught (it is rude 

 to sip it), everyone clapped their hands and shouted ' mdrd f 

 The Tcava had just the same flavour as that I tasted in Fiji, ex- 

 cept perhaps that the Apia kava had a distinct flavour of horse- 

 radish as well as soap and water. Afterwards we partook of 

 dinner, which consisted of at least fifty different dishes placed 

 on the floor. Soup, fish, fowl, pork, snails, grubs, cooked and 

 uncooked entrails of fish, formed the extensive menu, which, 

 however, only afforded me one or two dishes to my taste. The 

 most entertaining feature of the repast was the vagaries of the 

 old magnate upon whom devolved the duty of explaining to us 

 the different viands, and the manner of partaking of them. 

 The mode of his procedure was thus : taking an enormous bite 

 out of a piece of raw pork, or a handful of grubs, he would 

 hand the remainder with an insinuating gesture to the Euro- 

 pean guest nearest to him, who would first regard it with a horri- 

 fied gaze, and then with a bland smile give it to his neighbour, 

 with the muttered remark, ' I pass.' This reckless course was 

 conscientiously adhered to throughout the repast by the old 

 fellow, and we were agreeably surprised to find that he ap- 

 peared next day to be none the worse for his labours. His 

 digestive powers must be remarkable. Had he died in the 

 cause I would have been compelled to say, ' He did his duty 

 well.' 



After the meal we went out and enjoyed our pipes and 

 siluies a kind of cigarette made by wrapping a little tobacco 

 in a piece of banana leaf, and of which the girl who makes it 

 takes the preliminary suck to light and sweeten and then we 

 returned to see a native dance which had been arranged for 

 our special amusement. This was performed in the centre of 

 the hut by several girls, Miss I beg her pardon, Her Koyal 

 Highness Coe being one, and consisted of several pas fan- 



