THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
3T7 
liquor. While it was preparing, others were employed in i 77 
making drinking cups of plantain leaves. The firft cup - |u1 ' 
that was filled, was prefented to the king, and he ordered 
it to he given to another perfon. The fecond was alfo 
brought to him, which he drank, and the third was offered 
to me. Afterward, as each cup was filled, the man who 
filled it, afked, who was to have it ? Another then named 
the perfon; and to him it was carried. As the bowl grew 
low, the man who diifributed the liquor feemed rather at a 
lofs to whom cups of it fhould be next fent, and frequently 
confulted thofe who fat near him. This mode of diftribu- 
tion continued, while any liquor remained; and though 
not half the company had a fhare, yet no one feemed dif- 
fatisfied. About half a dozen cups ferved for all; and each, 
as it was emptied, was thrown down upon the ground, 
where the fervants picked it up, and carried it to be filled 
again. During the whole time, the Chief and his circle 
fat, as was ufually the cafe, with a great deal of gravity, 
hardly fpeaking a word to each other. 
We had long waited in expectation, each, moment, of 
feeing the mourning ceremony begin; wdien, foon after 
the kava was drank out, to our great furprize and dilap- 
pointment, they all rofe up and difperfed; and Poulaho 
told us, he was now ready to attend us to the flips. If 
this was a mourning ceremony, it was a ftrange one. Per¬ 
haps, it was the fecond, third, or fourth mourning; or, 
which was not very uncommon, Omai might have mif- 
underftood what Poulaho faid to him. For, excepting 
the change of drefs, and the putting the green bough 
round their necks, nothing feemed to have pafied at this 
meeting, but what we faw them pradtife, too frequently, 
every day. 
“ We 
