Kava Drinking. 167 
‘From the root and the lower part of the stem, the natives make 
that drink, which is so universally consumed in these seas. 
Every evening, about sundown, the men assemble at the kava 
Public Square on Tana, with Banyan and Kava-house. 
houses of their respective villages, each bringing with him a bit 
of the precious plant. ‘These bits are sliced up, and chewed 
by boys who have not reached the stage of kava drinking. 
After it is thoroughly chewed, and all the juice contained in the 
wood expressed by and from the boys’ mouths, the whole is put 
into a wooden dish, water added, and finally the liquid is 
strained. Each man then dips in his dish, takes his draught, 
and either goes away home to sleep off the effects, or lies about 
outside the kava-house. This liquor has a soothing stupyfying 
. effect upon the natives, but does not excite them as ardent 
spirits excite us. On the islands of Eastern Polynesia, the 
same drink is used; but in connection with its manufacture 
