114 REWA. 
among the Feejeeans, the cooking-place is excavated, a foot deep and 
about eight feet square; this was furnished with three large earthen 
pots, of native manufacture, and two huge iron kettles, obtained from 
some whaling-ship, such as are used for trying out oil. These were 
crammed with food. 
Some of our gentlemen entered a short time previous to Captain 
Hudson’s arrival, and found the king taking a meal, with his principal 
wife beside him stretched out on a mat. All those around him were 
sitting after the manner of the natives, for none presume to stand or lie 
down in the presence of the king. When he had finished eating and 
pushed the food from him, a general clapping of hands took place, 
after which water was brought, and the cup held to his mouth until he 
had done drinking, when clapping of hands again ensued. This was - 
repeated whenever the king finished doing any thing—a piece of 
etiquette always observed with great strictness. 
On state occasions this ceremony is carried much farther: the 
king’s food at such times is passed around a large circle, until it 
reaches his principal wife, who feeds him with her hands. Many of 
the chiefs always require the ava-cup to be held to their mouths. 
Notwithstanding all this ceremony, the chiefs, and the people sitting 
around them, join familiarly in the conversation, and appear otherwise 
perfectly at their ease. 
The king at once ordered provisions for his guests, for whom seats 
were provided on a sea-chest. The principal article of food was the 
salt beef he had received as a present from the ship, and which he 
named bula-ma-kau. ‘The origin of this name is not a little singular, 
and is due to our countryman, Captain Eagleston, who has been for 
several years trading among this group. Wishing to confer a benefit 
on these natives, he took on board a bull and cow at Tahiti, and 
brought them to Rewa, where he presented them to the king. On 
being asked the name of them, he said they were called “bull and 
cow,” which words the natives at once adopted as a single term to 
designate both, and thenceforward these animals have been known as 
bula-ma-kau. The beef was found to be more savoury than on board 
ship, perhaps from being twice boiled. ‘The king was asked to join 
them, which he did, although he had just finished a hearty meal. After 
the meal was over, a small earthen finger-bowl was brought to the 
king to wash his hands, and as the attendant did not seem to be pre- 
pared to extend the like courtesy to our gentlemen, a desire for a 
similar utensil was expressed and complied with, although apparently 
with some reluctance. In like manner, when the jar of water was 
brought to the king, one of the party seized upon it and drank, and the 
