156 SAMOAN GROUP. 



They have much variety in their cooking, and some of their dishes 

 are exceedingly rich and agreeable to the taste. They practise 

 several modes of cooking the taro tops ; one, by tying them up with 

 cocoa-nut pulp and baking them, in which state they resemble 

 spinach cooked with cream, but are sweeter. Another dish is called 

 faiai, made of the scraped and strained cocoa-nut pulp boiled down 

 to the consistency of custard. It is eaten both hot and cold. 



The habits of the Samoans are regular. They rise with the sun, 

 and immediately take a meal. They then bathe and oil themselves, 

 and go to their occupations for the day. These consist in part of the 

 cultivation of taro and yams ; building houses and canoes. Many 

 fish ; others catch birds, for which purpose they use nets affixed to 

 long poles. They generally find enough to employ the mornings, in 

 getting their daily supply. After this is done, they lounge about, or 

 play at their various games, eat about one o'clock, and again at night, 

 retiring to rest about nine o'clock. The men do all the hard work, 

 even to cookery. 



The women are held in much consideration among this people, are 

 treated with great attention, and are not suffered to do any thing but 

 what rightfully belongs to them. They take care of the house, and 

 of their children, prepare the food for cooking, do all the in-door work, 

 and manufacture the mats and tapa. 



They are cleanly in their habits, and bathe daily ; after which they 

 anoint themselves with oil and turmeric. This custom, I have no 

 doubt tends to preserve the health, by preventing the excessive per- 

 spiration which the heat of the climate naturally brings on. It is, 

 however, at times offensive, for the oil is apt to become rancid. 



The Samoans are of a social disposition, more so, indeed, than 

 the other natives of the Polynesian islands, and they are fond of 

 travelling. The reasons they have for taking these journeys are 

 various : thus, when there is a scarcity of food in one part, or a 

 failure of the crops, they are in the habit of making a " faatamilo," 

 or circuit, around a portion of these islands, so that by the time they 

 return, (which is at the expiration of three months,) their own taro 

 has grown and the bread-fruit season come aroiuid. They are now 

 in their turn prepared to afford the same hospitality and accommo- 

 dation to others. The old people are usually left at the village to 

 take care of it, whilst the younger portions are gone on one of these 

 malangas, or journeys. During these expeditions, a sort of trade is 

 frequently carried on. The different portions of the inhabitants are 



