200 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



without the risk of positive suffocation, they roll over on their 

 backs upon the ground, grunting like huge swine, when two 

 attendants approach and place themselves on each side of the 

 patient. One wields a kahili, or feather fly brush, to cool his 

 master, and keep off the mosquetoes, while the other commences 

 his operations by punching his fist violently into the stomach of 

 the fallen man, who, with a great snort, acknowledges his con- 

 sciousness, and the pleasure he derives from it. Soon the other 

 fist of the serving man follows, and the regular kneading process 

 is performed ; at first, slowly and cautiously, but gradually in- 

 creasing in quickness and severity until the attendant is forced 

 to stop for breath, and the pogr stupified lump of obesity forgets 

 to grunt in unison with the rapidly descending blows. This is 

 the operation called rumi-rumi, and is usually continued from 

 ten to fifteen minutes, after which the patient rises, yawns, 

 stretches his limbs, and calls loudly for another calabash of poe. 

 This custom is followed almost exclusively by the chiefs, but is 

 not confined to the male sex, the women enjoying the luxury 

 equally with the men. The rumi-rumi is also practised in cases 

 of abdominal pains, and in dyspeptic complaints. Even the fo- 

 reigners sometimes resort to it, and find it beneficial. 



nth. — Mr. N. and myself were invited to participate in a 

 lu-au dinner, to be given in the valley of Nuano this afternoon. 

 At about 2 o'clock, Mr. Jones called for us, and furnished us 

 with good horses, upon which we mounted, and galloped off" to 

 the valley. After a delightful ride of about five miles, over a 

 good, though rather stony road, between the hills which enclose 

 the valley, we arrived at a pretty little temporary cottage, formed 

 entirely of the broad green leaves of the ti plant, and perched on 

 a picturesque hill, overlooking the whole extent of our ride. 

 Here we found a number of the foreign gentlemen; others soon 

 joined us, and our company consisted of fifty or sixty persons. 



