552 



DOMESTIC MANNEllS. 



Nov. 



especially of one's own cloth, spoken of in such terms of 

 friendship and respect, and how much that pleasure is increased 

 when one reflects, that many years have elapsed since the con- 

 duct took place which caused these sensations. 



Mr. Stokes passed some nights in Otaheitan cottages. He 

 told me that the natives, both men and women, are extremely 

 fond of their children, and are very kind to them. Not content 

 with nursing and amusing them, they cram them as managers 

 of poultry cause turkeys to be crammed, not exactly with 

 pepper corns, or walnuts,* but with bananas and other nutri- 

 tive food. At each end of the houses he visited there was a 

 small fire, one being for the elder, the other for the younger 

 folks ; this was in the evening, at their last meal time. 



Breadfruit, which had been previously roasted, and wild 

 plantains brought from the mountains, were put to the fire to 

 be warmed. Meanwhile cocoa-nuts were opened, their milk was 

 poured into cups, made of empty nutshells, and handed about 

 with the nuts. Each person had a nut and a cup of the milk, 

 or j uice.-|- Taro-root roasted was then served, together with 

 the bread-fruit and plantain, on leaves freshly gathered ; there 

 was also a piece of brownish yellow wood, like the rotten root 

 of a tree, hanging up in the hut, which the people sometimes 

 eat; it is called Ti.| Grace was said (a duty never omitted), 

 and a clean, comfortable meal enjoyed by the whole party. 

 Afterwards the fires were put out, and a queer little wooden 

 pipe passed round. The strongest tobacco is thought the best, 

 and they like to swallow the smoke. Sometimes, instead of 

 tobacco, they use an indigenous herb. 



Before sleeping the oldest man said prayers : one of the 

 young men read a short portion of the New Testament, and 

 then a hymn was sung by the whole family. A lamp was kept 



* The very best thing-s for fattening turkeys, 



t Cocoa-nut milk makes an indelible black stain, and is sometimes 

 used for dyeing. 



X The root of the Ti plant is sweet, like sugar cane of indifferent qua^ 

 Jity. Molasses has been made from it. 



