92 FOOD. 



to the carcase, and bones and all were eaten with that additional 

 relish which the sensation of feasting on his enemy would naturally 

 produce. 



The Solomon Islanders are very fond of fatty food. They have 

 been observed to drink the liquid fat of pigs with tlie same gusto 

 with which a white man would quatf an iced drink on a hot day. 

 They much appreciate tlie fat in the abdomen of the Cocoa-nut Crab 

 (Birgus latro) ; and, without much regard for the feelings of the 

 crab, they may throw it alive on the hot cinders of a fire in order 

 to cook its fat. 



A depraved taste for decaying flesh would appear not to be 

 peculiar to the upper classes of civilized nations. Mr. Stephens of 

 Ugi tells me that he has known natives of Ontong-Java, which lies 

 off the Solomon Group, to allow the carcase of a pig to remain 

 buried in the ground until it was rotten, when they dug up their 

 treasure and enjoyed their feast under cover of the night as though 

 conscious of the depravity of the act. It was the strong odour 

 which penetrated his dwelling that attracted the attention of Mr. 

 Stephens to their proceedings. 



The methods of cooking animal food may be here referred to. 

 In the eastern islands of the group, it may be boiled in a wooden 

 bowl by means of hot-stones as described on page 86. In Bougain- 

 ville Straits, when a fishing-party returns towards nightfall with 

 their capture of fish, they erect on posts a large framework or grating 

 of sticks, which is raised about three feet from the ground. On 

 this the fish is placed, a large fire is kindled beneath, and, by a 

 combined process of scorching and smoking, the fish is cooked. As 

 the portion of the grating on which the fish lies is usually almost 

 burned away, the framework is made some ten feet in length by 

 five feet in breadth, and the next fish to be cooked is placed on a 

 fresh part of it. On a framework of this size a considerable number 

 of fish may be thus cooked. Fish such as eels are cut up into 

 pieces, and each piece after being compactly wrapped around with 

 leaves is kept on the wood-fire for about half an hour. When an 

 opossum is to be cooked, it is first placed for a short time on the 

 fire in order to singe the hair off. It is then cut open, and the 

 viscera are removed : of these, the intestines are subsequently 

 cleaned and eaten. The body is then placed, without any further 

 process, on top of the fire ; and there it remains until, after being 

 well scorched as well as roasted, it is considered to be cooked : when 



