ARROW-ROOT, COCOA-NUT, ETC. 49 
tasteless and colourless; the arrow-root is then 
taken out, dried in the sun, and is fit for use. 
Simple as this process is, it requires considerable 
care to dry it properly. When partially dry, the 
natives were formerly accustomed to knead or 
roll it up in circular masses, containing six or 
seven pounds each, and in this state expose it to 
the sun till sufficiently dry to be preserved 
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 unfa¬ 
vourable colour. 
They had no means of boiling it, but were 
accustomed to put a quantity of the arrow-root 
powder with the expressed milk from the kernel of 
the cocoa-nut into a large wooden tray, or dish; 
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 equal 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. 
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