Ch. v. the Islands of the South Sea. 79 



butchers for the sake of the entrails of the hogs 

 which were killed. In general, little seemed to 

 fall to their share, except offals. " It must be 

 " owned," Captain Cook says, " that they are 

 " exceedingly careful of every kind of provision, 

 'I and waste nothing that can be eaten by man, 

 " flesh and fish especially."* 



From Mr. Anderson's account, it appears that 

 a very small portion of animal food falls to the lot 

 of the lower class of people, and then it is either 

 fish, sea-eggs, or other marine productions ; for 

 they seldom or never eat pork. The king or prin- 

 cipal chief is alone able to furnish this luxury 

 every day ; and the inferior chiefs, according to 

 their riches, once a week, fortnight, or month.'}" 

 When the hogs and fowls have been diminished 

 by wars or too great consumption, a prohibition 

 is laid upon these articles of food, which continues 

 in force sometimes for several months, or even for 

 a year or two, during which time of course they 

 multiply very fast, and become again plentiful.^ 

 The common diet even of the Eareeoies, who are 

 among the principal people of the islands, is, 

 according to Mr. Anderson, made up of at least 

 nine-tenths of vegetable food.§ And as a distinc- 

 tion of ranks is so strongly marked, and the lives 

 and property of the lower classes of people appear 

 to depend absolutely on the will of their chiefs, 



* Cook's Second Voy. vol. i. p. 1/0". 

 f III. Third Voy. vol. ii. p. 154. 

 I Id. p. 155. 

 § Id. p. 148. 



