392 NARRATIVEOFAN 



CHAP, colate. A drink they call piworree is a compofition of 

 the caffdva breads chewed by the females, and fermented 

 -with water, when it has fomething of the tafte of ale, 

 and will intoxicate. It appears at firft very extraordinary, 

 that w^hat has been within the teeth, mixed with the fa- 

 liva, and fpit from the mouths of others, fliould be drank 

 without loathing by the people of any country : but 

 thofe who have read Cook's Voyages will find that this 

 pradtice was fo common in the iflands he difcovered, 

 that had he not complied with it, his refufal might have 

 fatally offended the inhabitants. His officers, indeed, 

 did not think it fo necefTary for them to comply, and 

 therefore excufed themfelves from the difgufting draught. 

 A beverage nearly of the fame kind they compofe 

 from the maize, or Indian corn, which is firfl ground 

 and baked into bread, after which it is crumbled and 

 macerated with water till it ferments like the former, 

 and this they call chiacoar. Another drink called cqffiree 

 is alfo much ufed by thefe Indians, being a compofition 

 of yams, cafTava, four oranges, and fugar or treacle, 

 well macerated, and fermented with water. I fliall only 

 add, that all thefe beverages are inebriating, if ufed be- 

 yond moderation, which is frequently the cafe with both 

 males and females among the copper-coloured generation 

 I am fpeaking of. This is the only time when they are 

 unruly, and when quarrels arife among themfelves. 



In pronunciation the language of the Indians in general 

 much refembles the Italian, their words being fonorous 



and 



