346 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
a visit from the Georgian or Windward Islands. 
In this respect the Sandwich Islanders are not 
behind their southern neighbours ; but, in their 
feasts, the flesh of the dog constitutes the principal 
meat. I have seen nearly two hundred dogs 
cooked at one time; and during the last visit 
which Taiimuarii, late king of Tauai, and Kaahu- 
manu his queen, paid Kuakini, the governor of 
this island, a feast was prepared for them by the 
latter, at which Auna was present, and counted 
four hundred baked dogs, with fish and hogs, and 
vegetables in proportion. Sometimes the food is 
spread out on the ground, which is previously 
covered with grass or green leaves ; the party sit 
down around it, and the chiefs distribute it among 
them, after the servants have carved it with a 
knife, or with a piece of bamboo cane, which, be¬ 
fore visited by foreigners, was the only kind of 
knife they possessed. The serrated edge of the 
hard bamboo cane, when but recently split, is very 
sharp; and we have often been surprised at the 
facility with which they cut up a large hog with 
no other instrument. The head of a hog, or at 
least the brains, constituted a dainty for the prin¬ 
cipal chief of the party; particular portions were 
given to the priests, if any were present; while the 
backbone and the tail were the usual perquisites of 
the person who carved. 
In general, however, when such large presents 
of food are made, each hog or dog when baked is 
put into a distinct basket, and piled up in heaps 
in the court-yard, in front of the house where the 
chief is residing; the fish, dogs, and vegetables, 
in separate heaps. When collected, the chief 
comes out to look at it, and those who have 
brought it retire. He then calls his stewards— 
