THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
279 
vourite liquor was foon prepared. In the mean time, a 1777. 
baked hog, and two bafkets of baked yams, were produced, j um; ' 
and afterward divided into ten portions. Thefe portions 
were then given to certain people prefent; but how many 
were to ihare in each, I could not tell. One of them, I 
obferved, was beftowed upon the king’s brother; and one 
remained undifpofed of, which, I judged, was for the 
king himfelf, as it was a choice bit. The liquor was next 
ferved out; but Poulaho feemed to give no directions 
about it. The firft cup was brought to him, which he 
ordered to be given to one w'ho fat near him. The fecond 
was alfo brought to him, and this he kept. The third 
was given to me; but their manner of brewing having 
quenched my third:, it became Omai’s property. The reft 
of the liquor was diftributed to different people, by direc¬ 
tion of the man who had the management of it. One of 
the cups being carried to the king’s brother, he retired 
with this, and with his mefs of victuals. Some others 
alfo quitted the circle with their portions; and the reafon 
was, they could neither eat nor drink in the royal prefence; 
but there were others prefent, of a much inferior rank, of 
both fexes, who did both. Soon after, mod: of them with¬ 
drew, carrying with them what they had not eat of their 
fliare of the feaffc. 
I obferved, that not a fourth part of the company had 
tailed either the vi&uals or the drink; thofe who partook 
of the former, I fuppofed to be of the king’s houfhold. The 
fervants who diflributed the baked meat, and the kava , al¬ 
ways delivered it out of their hand fitting, not only to the 
king, but to every other perfon. It is worthy of remark, 
though this was the firft time of our landing, and a great 
many people were prefent who had never feen us before, 
3 yet 
