POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
363 
served for use. By this process they prepared much 
that has been exported from the islands, which may 
account for its inferior colour, as the whole mass 
was seldom sufficiently dry to prevent its turning 
mouldy, and assuming a brown or unfavourable colour. 
They had no means of boiling it, but were accustomed 
to put a quantity of the arrow-root powder with the ex¬ 
pressed milk from the kernel of the cocoa-nut into a 
large wooden tray, or dish 5 and, having mixed them 
well together, to throw in a number of red-hot stones, 
which being moved about by thin white sticks, heated 
the whole mass nearly to boiling, and occasioned it to 
assume a thick, broken, jellied appearance. In this state 
it is served up in baskets of cocoa-nut leaves, and is a 
very rich sweet kind of food, usually forming a part of 
every public entertainment. 
Arrow-root has recently been prepared in large 
quantities, as an article of exportation to England; 
but although it is by no means inferior to that brought 
from the West Indies, it has not been so well cleaned, 
dried, or packed, and has consequently appeared very 
inferior when it has been brought into the market. 
There is reason, however, to believe, that when the 
natives shall have acquired better methods of preparing 
their arrow-root, it may become a valuable article of 
commerce. 
There is a very large and beautiful species of fern, 
called by the natives noijie ; the leaves of which are fra« 
grant, and, in seasons of scarcity, the large tuberous 
kind of root is baked and eaten. It is insipid, affords 
but little nutriment, and is only resorted to when other 
supplies fail. It is altogether a different plant from the 
fern, the root of which is eaten by the natives of New 
