in ihe Pacifie Ocean, 95 



which the chiefs are very fond of indulging themselves. They 

 employ persons of a lower class to chew it for them, and spit it 

 into a wooden bowl ; after which a small quantity of water is 

 mixed with it, when the juice is strained into a neatly polished 

 cup, made of a cocoa-nut shell, and passed round among them. 

 It renders them very stupid and averse to hearing any noise ; it 

 deprives them of their appetite, and reduces them almost to a 

 state of torpor ; it has also the effect of making their skin fall off 

 in white scales, weakens their nerves, and no doubt brings on a 

 premature old age. They applied the word kava to every thing 

 we ate or drank of a heating or pungent nature. Rum and wine 

 was called kava ; pepper, mustard, and even salt, with the nature 

 and use of which they are entirely unacquainted, were called 

 kava, as was also our spittle. A mineral water of a strong taste, 

 several springs of which are to be found on the island, and are 

 lield in high estimation by the natives for the cure of scrofulous 

 and some other complaints, is called vie kava. 



The bread fruit tree has been so often and so minutely de- 

 scribed by other voyagers, that a description of it here may be 

 thought by some superfluous. Their fruit-trees, except those 

 which are tabbooed, are without enclosure ; their smaller and 

 more delicate plants, as well as their roots, have only a wall to 

 prevent the depredations of hogs. Their houses are open in 

 front, and their furniture, many parts of which are of great value 

 to them, is entirely exposed. Their hogs are wandering in every 

 part of the valley ; their fishing nets and their clothes are left ex- 

 posed on the beach, and spread on the grass ; no precautions are 

 taken to guard against theft, and I therefore conclude that thefts 

 among themselves are unknown. 



During our operations at the camp, where carpenters, coopers, 

 armourers, sail-makers, &c. were employed, it is natural to sup- 

 pose that small tools, and articles of great value, were exposed to 

 the natives. As from sunrise to sunset the camp was perfectly 

 invested with them, it would have been impossible to prevent, or 

 to have detected thefts, had they been so inclined. But as 

 numerous as they were, constantly assisting us in our labours, 

 mixing with our men, sitting for hours, eyeing with the greatest 

 attention the different works, carrying, or handling and examin- 

 ing tools of every description, entering our tents and houses, 

 performing for us many domestic services, assisting us in our 

 wars, carrying for us our arms, our clothing, and provisions, 

 being absent from us whole days with those precious things, still, 

 during our stay, no article was ever missed by any person, ex- 

 cept some trifles which were pilfered from the sailors by the girls, ^ 

 iind this was, in all probability, in retaliation for the tricks which 



