416 MYSTIC ISLES 



A pile of breadfruit-leaves were laid before each 

 feaster's space in lieu of plates, and four half-cocoanut- 

 shells, containing drinking water, cocoanut-milk, grated 

 ripe cocoanut, and sea-water. The last two were to be 

 mixed to sauce the dishes, and the empty one filled with 

 fresh water for a finger-bowl. 



The bride and groom sat at the head of the leafy board, 

 their intimates about them, and the pastor, who had 

 joined them, stood a few moments with bowed head and 

 closed eyes to invoke the blessing of God upon the revel, 

 as did the orero, the pagan priest of Tahiti a few gen- 

 erations ago. The pastor and I, with the owner of the 

 Atimaona plantation and a Mr. Davey, had had an 

 appetizer a moment before. 



We all sat on the mats according to bodily habit, the 

 lithe natives on their heels, the grosser ones and we 

 whites with legs crossed, and with the minister's raising 

 of his head we fell to, with ease of position, and no ar- 

 tificial instruments to embarrass our hands. We trans- 

 ferred each to his own breadfruit-leaves what he desired 

 from the stores in the center, meat and vegetables and 

 fruit, and seasoned it as we pleased. New leaves 

 brought by boys and girls constantly replaced used ones, 

 and the shells of salt and fresh water were refilled. 



Barrels of white and red wine had been decanted into 

 bottles, and with American and German beer stood in 

 phalanges beside the milky banana columns, and from 

 these all replenished their polished beakers of the dark 

 nuts. 



The oysters, of a flavor equaling any of America or 

 Europe, were minute and of a greenish-copper hue, and 



