98 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF 



the whole is not consumed on the day it is made, it is baked, to pre- 

 serve it from spoiling. 



The karaca, or toddy, is procured from the spathe of the cocoa- 

 nut tree, which is usually about four feet long, and two inches in 

 diameter. From this spathe the fruit is produced ; but in order to 

 procure their favourite toddy, it is necessary to prevent nature from 

 taking her course in bringing forth the fruit : they bind the spathe 

 up tightly with sennit; the end is then sliced off, and a cocoanut- 

 shell hung to the projecting part of the spathe, to catch the sap as 

 it exudes. One tree will yield from two to six pints of karaca. 

 When first obtained from the tree, it is like the young cocoannt- 

 milk, and quite limpid ; but after it stands for a few hours, it ferments 

 and becomes acid. When the spathe ceases to drop, another piece is 

 cut off, and every time it ceases to flow, it is treated in the same way, 

 until the spathe is entirely gone. Another spathe is formed soon after 

 above this, which is suffered to grow, and when large enough is treated 

 in the same manner. 



The karaca is either drunk fresh from the tree, or made into kamoi- 

 moi, (the kind of molasses before spoken of,) by boiling it down in 

 cocoanut-shells, set upon hot stones. It strongly resembles our molas- 

 ses, both in look and taste. When this is mixed with water it is called 

 karave, and is the usual drink at their feasts, when it is set out in large 

 wooden bowls, from which it is dipped by cups, made of cocoanut- 

 shells or of human skulls. 



These islanders have no kind of intoxicating drink. The food of 

 Makin is similar, although the names are somewhat different : they 

 use kaka for karapapa ; tagara for manam. Their mode of cook- 

 ing differs from that of other islanders. A small round shallow hole 

 is made, about two feet in diameter, and six inches deep, with a 

 sufficient number of hard stones to line it. In this a fire is made, and 

 the stones placed on it : when the stones are heated, they brush away 

 the fire and ashes, and arrange them ; the food is placed on them, 

 over which mats are laid, and covered with earth; before closing the 

 pit, they run a stick obliquely into the heap, and when the whole is 

 completed, this stick is drawn out, and water is poured into the hole 

 to create steam. Their messes require from one to four hours to cook. 

 At times they bake their food by simply putting it upon the stones un- 

 covered. 



They do not appear to suffer from want of food, although it is what 

 would be deemed of a coarse kind. During Kirby's stay, they had 

 abundance, though he mentioned having heard of a famine which had 



