His CAPTORS. 41 



A King's Banquet. Eden Cream. Novel Nectar. 



portant piece of courtesy, which a recent break- 

 fast rather unfitted me for ; yet I ate, with com- 

 pliments, of the mealy kalo, and tasted of the 

 pig, while the king was taking huge morsels 

 that would almost sink a common man. 



The wine of this feast was the delicious milk 

 of young cocoa-nuts just from the tree ; and I 

 will venture to say that Hebe never poured such 

 nectar into the goblets of the gods. It was more 

 like that which Eve made ready once in Eden, 

 as the poet tells, wherewith to entertain their 

 angel guest : 



With inoffensive must and meathea, 

 From many a berry and from sweet kernels pressed, 

 She tempers dulcet creams ; nor them to hold 

 Wants her fit vessels pure ; then strews the ground 

 With rose and odors from the shrub unfumed. 



This entertainment over, we repaired to the 

 teacher's, where again was served up the same, 

 with the addition of banana made into a poi, of 

 which the king ate freely. I was here present- 

 ed with a couple of rolls of white kapa by the 

 good woman of the house. After surveying the 

 premises, getting a specimen of the king and 

 teacher's handwriting, and giving them a card 

 to certify any other chance ship of their hospi- 

 tality, I returned to the shore by another path, 



