216 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES, 
then placed on these leaves, and a covering six 
inches thick, of leaves and earth, spread over the 
whole. In this state the taro remained to steam 
or bake about half an hour, when they opened 
their oven, and took as many roots as were 
needed. The arum or taro is an excellent vege¬ 
table, boiled as we are accustomed to dress 
potatoes, but is not so farinaceous and pleasant as 
when baked in a native oven. Sometimes the 
natives broil their food on heated stones, or roast 
it before their fire; but these ovens are most gene¬ 
rally used for cooking their several kinds of victuals. 
Potatoes and yams are dressed in the same manner 
as the taro; but pigs, dogs, fish, and birds, are 
wrapped in green leaves before they are put into 
the oven. 
We saw some Muscovy ducks in the garden, 
and offered to purchase one; but they said they 
were rearing them for their landlord, and could 
not part with any; they furnished us, however, 
with a fowl, with which, and some biscuit we had 
with us, we made a tolerable meal. We remained 
about two hours, during which we did not omit to 
speak to the inhabitants respecting the Saviour. 
We also offered to remunerate them for what we 
had received, but they refused to take any thing. 
We therefore made the children a present of a 
looking-glass and a few strings of beads, and then 
resumed our journey over the same verdant country, 
frequently crossing small valleys and water-courses, 
which, however, were all dry. 
The surface of the country was covered with a 
light yellow soil, and clothed with tall grass, but 
the sides and bed of every water-course we passed 
were composed of volcanic rock, a kind of basaltes, 
or dark gray compact lava, with fine grains of 
