HOUSEHOLD ARRANGEMENTS. 161 
Their ovens, like those at Otaheite, described 
by Captain Cook, are formed with stones in the 
ground. Captain Beechey says, that an oven is 
made in the ground, sufficiently large to contain 
a good-sized pig, and is lined throughout with 
stones nearly equal in size. These, having 
been made as hot as possible, are covered with 
some broad leaves, generally of the ti-plant, and 
on them is placed the meat. If it be a pig, its 
inside is lined with heated stones, as well as the 
oven. Such vegetables as are to accompany 
the meal are then placed round the meat that 
is to be dressed. The whole is covered with 
leaves of the ti-plant, and buried beneath a heap 
of earth, straw, or rushes and boughs, which 
by a little use become matted into one mass. 
In about an hour and a quarter, the meat is 
sufficiently cooked. 
There is much wisdom in the arrangement 
regarding the absence of fire-places from their 
wooden cottages. They are also sparing in 
their use of lights in general. They have no 
candles, but use oil, and torches made with nuts 
of the Doodoe-tree (Aleurites triloba). They 
have no glass for the windows. The shutters, 
which serve the purpose of admitting light and 
air, are closed in bad weather. For the most 
part pure water, but, now and then, tea, consti- 
tutes their drink. Cocoa-nut milk, and water 
sweetened with syrup, extracted from the 
bruised sugar-cane, vary the drinks of these 
temperate people. No wines or spirits are ad- 
mitted to the island, except in small quantities 
for medicinal purposes. The water which they 
L & 
