NATIONAL BEVERAGES. 325 



to minute particles, which, according to regular Polyne- 

 sian usage, is done by chewing a task in Fiji devolving 

 upon lads who have sound teeth, and occupy a certain 

 social rank towards the man for whom they perform the 

 office. In other Polynesian islands it is done by young 

 women. When a sufficient quantity has been chewed, 

 the masticated mass is placed in a bowl made of the 

 wood of the Vesi (Afzelia Ujuga, A. Gray), and having 

 four legs and a piece of rope attached to it, which, when 

 the bowl is brought in, is thrown towards the greatest 

 man present, and guides those who happen to arrive in 

 ignorance of his rank in observing the ceremonies re- 

 quired from them. Some Fijians make it a point to 

 chew as great a quantity as possible in one mouthful ; 

 and there is a man of this sort at Verata, famous all 

 over the group, who is able within three hours' time to 

 chew a single mouthful sufficient to intoxicate fifty per- 

 sons. Fortunately, Kava, unlike distilled spirits, does not 

 render people quarrelsome; and Fijians, on extolling 

 the virtues of their national beverage, often make this 

 observation. On public occasions, or at convivial meet- 

 ings, when the chewed root is placed in the bowl, and 

 water is poured on, the whole assembly begin to chant 

 appropriate songs, accompanied by the beating of little 

 sticks on a bamboo or log of wood, and this is kept up 

 until the dregs of the root have been strained through 

 the fibres of the Vau (different species of Paritium\ or 

 in the absence of them, through fern leaves. When the 

 beverage is ready, the chant is discontinued, and the 

 priest or any head man present pronounces a toast or 

 prayer over it, after which the first cup a cocoa-nut 



