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 
