306 A MISSION TO VITI. 



earthenware pots; but the taste is such that few fo- 

 reigners acquire a partiality for it, and the natives them- 

 selves infinitely prefer our bread and biscuit to their 

 own madrai. Yet it is most fortunate that in a country 

 where numerous kinds of fruits and edible roots, how- 

 ever abundant at certain seasons, are subject to such 

 rapid decay, the natives are acquainted with a simple 

 process, by means of which they are able to store up 

 their provisions, and thus effectually guard against ex- 

 treme want in a land of plenty. 



A few other esculent roots remain still to be men- 

 tioned. Potatoes (Solanum tiiberosum, Linn.) grown in 

 Mr. Moore's garden at Mataisuva I found tolerably good. 

 An attempt made by Mr. Carey, at Wairiki, to raise 

 radishes, did not succeed. Shalots are cultivated to a 

 considerable extent by the natives. Turnips have been 

 produced from imported seeds. The sweet potato (Ba- 

 tatas edulis, Chois.) is an introduction probably from 

 New Zealand, as the Fijian name (Kumara) proves iden- 

 tical with that given by the Maoris. It succeeds well, 

 but does not seem to be much valued. The Masawe or 

 Vasili Toga (Draccena sp.), is a shrub with obovate 

 leaves, cultivated, and perhaps, judging from the name 

 Vasili Toga ( = Tonga) it bears in some parts of the 

 group, an importation from the Tongan islands. Its root 

 is large, weighs from 10 to 14 Ibs., and when baked, re- 

 sembles in taste and degree of sweetness, as near as pos- 

 sible that of stick-liquorice. The Fijians chew it, or use 

 it for sweetening puddings. They were ignorant of the 

 art of extracting an intoxicating liquor from it, known 

 to the Hawaiians. There is another species of Draccena 



