FEEJEE GROUP. 371 



Each person is seated according to his rank, and to the king a 

 separate dish is assigned, while the rest help themselves with their 

 fingers out of the same basket. The feast is composed of several 

 courses of the different parts of the turtle, with taro, yams, &c. ; 

 and after each course, a cocoa-nut shell containing water is handed 

 round to rinse the hands. 



The first course is composed of the inferior parts of the turtle ; the 

 second of taro, yams, mandrai, and bananas, together with the water, 

 or soup, in which they have been boiled, which is drunk out of cups 

 made of cocoa-nut shells; the third, or principal course, is the better 

 portion of the turtle, baked and served up smoking, in its own shell. 

 Over this the priest pronounces a short prayer ; after which two of 

 the company proceed to carve it with knives of bamboo. Pieces are 

 often cut off to be sent to the king's wives, who are not allowed to be 

 present. After the third course, ava is served, and the feast breaks up 

 with the retiring of the king. 



The mode in which they sit at feasts, and, indeed, upon almost all 

 occasions, is peculiar. The annexed figure will give a better idea than 

 any description. 



MODE OF SITTING. 



The mbure being used for such purposes, is furnished much after 

 the manner of their dwellings, except that a portion of it is screened 

 off for the spirit and the priest. The mbure is also used for the 

 reception of visiters. The coming of these is generally announced 

 beforehand, and preparations made for their reception. 



As soon as the canoes heave in sight, the whole population of the 

 town go down on the beach to meet them. The strangers land in 



