1769 NATIVE MEALS 139 



and bread-fruit, by which I learnt that with my stomach at 

 least it agreed as well as if dressed, and, if anything, was 

 still easier of digestion, however contrary this may appear 

 to the common opinion of the people at home. 



Drink they have none except water and cocoanut juice, 

 nor do they seem to have any method of intoxication among 

 them. Some there were who drank pretty freely of our 

 liquors, and in a few instances became very drunk, but 

 seemed far from pleased with their intoxication, the indi- 

 viduals afterwards shunning a repetition of it, instead of 

 greedily desiring it, as most Indians are said to do. 



Their tables, or at least their apparatus for eating, are 

 set out with great neatness, though the small quantity of 

 their furniture will not admit of much elegance. I will 

 describe the manner in which that of their principal people 

 is served. They commonly eat alone, unless some stranger 

 makes a second in their mess. The man usually sits 

 under the shade of the nearest tree, or on the shady side 

 of the house. A large quantity of leaves, either of bread- 

 fruit or banana, are neatly spread before him, and serve 

 instead of a table-cloth. A basket containing his provisions 

 is then set by him, and two cocoanut-shells, one full of 

 fresh, the other of salt, water. He begins by washing his 

 hands and mouth thoroughly with the fresh water, a process 

 which he repeats almost continually throughout the whole 

 meal. Suppose that his provisions consist (as they often did) 

 of two or three bread-fruits, one or two small fish about as big 

 as an English perch, fourteen or fifteen ripe bananas or half 

 as many apples. He takes half a bread-fruit, peels off the 

 rind, and picks out the core with his nails ; he then crams 

 his mouth as full with it as it can possibly hold, and while 

 he chews that, unwraps the fish from the leaves in which 

 they have remained tied up since they were dressed, and 

 breaks one of them into the salt water. The rest, as well 

 as the remains of the bread-fruit, lie before him upon the 

 leaves. He generally gives a fish, or part of one, to some 

 one of his dependents, many of whom sit round him, and 

 then takes up a very small piece of that which he has 



