porter's journal. 



63 



our common walnut, which is also used by them instead of 

 candles. These are broken, mixed with the dirt, and 

 strewed about the bottom of the hole. On this is laid a 

 layer of grass, with which the sides are also carefully lined ; 

 after which, the bunches of green bananas are packed in, 

 and covered with grass, to prevent the dirt from coming 

 in contact with them. The whole is covered with dirt, 

 and left lour days, at the expiration of which time, they 

 are taken out, perfectly ripe, and of a beautiful yellow 

 colour. 



The taira is a root much resembhng a yam, of a pun- 

 gent taste, and excellent when boiled or roasted. The 

 natives, by grating it, and mixing it with cocoa-nut oil. 

 make of it a paste, which is highly esteemed by them. 

 It grows in a nut soil, and much pains is taken in its cul- 

 tivation. 



The sugar-cane grows to an uncommon size here, it 

 being no unusual thing to see the stalks fourteen feet in 

 length, and ten or twelve inches in circumference. The 

 only use they make of it is to chew and swallow the juice. 



The kava is a root possessing an intoxicating quality, 

 with 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 vvhich 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 5 

 it has also the effect of making their skin fall oil 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 en- 

 tirely 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 held 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 

 described by other voyagers, that a description of it here 



