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SAMOA: NAVIGATORS ISLANDS 



INTERIOR OF SAMOAN NATIVE HOUSE 



yams, bananas, and cocoanuts are the staple articles, but the 

 lagoons and reefs abound in fish and shell-fish, among the latter 

 being a fine variety of shrimp, of which the natives are very fond. 

 Following the discovery of the islands by Bougainville and the 

 celebrated Captain Cook, pigs and fowls found a lodgment here, 

 until of late years a wider variety in the native dietary has 

 gained foothold. Fishing is carried on solely with spears and 

 nets, as the inhabitants of the waters surrounding Samoa decline 

 to use the hook, be it baited ever so alluringly. 



The cooking among the natives is done by the men, and if a 

 woman is seen cooking it is regarded as just cause for jeering at 

 the men of her family. No spices or seasoning are used, but 

 salt water is sparingly employed to give additional flavor to 

 food. From taro and bread-fruit is made poi, which is exten- 

 sively eaten in all the Polynesian islands, the process of manu- 

 facture being everywhere the same. The native meal hours are 

 not very different from those usual in more civilized parts of the 

 world. The principal meal comes in the evening, when the 

 whole family meets — men, women, and children eating together. 

 They have no tables or other furniture, but seat themselves cross- 

 legged on mats round about the circular house. Each person 

 has his portion set before him on a bread-fruit leaf. After the 



