FLORA VITIENSIS. 261 
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Hibiscus), or, in the absence of them, through fern leaves. When the beverage is ready, the chant is dis- 
continued, and the priest or any head man present pronounces a toast or prayer over it, after which the 
first cup—a cocoa-nut shell—is handed to the person of highest rank in the assembly, The Kawa is taken 
out of the bowl by means of the strainer, which is dipped into the fluid, and then squeezed. Although 
both bowl and cup are always carefully dried and cleaned after having been used, a crust invariably forms 
at the inside, giving them the appearance as if they had been enamelled. This crust, after a lapse of 
three or four months, is carefully scraped off, and makes the strongest of all Yaqona. The beverage has the 
look of coffee with plenty of milk in it, and an aromatie slightly pungent taste, which, when once acquired, 
must, like all acquired tastes, be perfeetly irresistible. Drunk in moderation, it has probably no bad effect, 
and acts upon the system somewhat like betel-nut; but, taken in excess, it generates all sorts of skin- 
diseases, and weakens the eyesight. N early all the lower class of whites in the Fiji are Kawa drinkers, 
some regular drunkards; and it is generally accepted as a proof of a man belonging to the more respectable 
portion of society if he refrains from touching this filthy preparation. Most of these whites prefer it pre- 
pared in true Polynesian fashion; only a few have the root rasped on a grater—a process said to impair the 
flavour considerably. Roots of Yaqona are presented to visitors as tokens of goodwill, and to the temples 
as offerings, I have also seen the leaves of the plant hung up in the temples, together with the little twigs 
of the Waltheria Americana. As we in Europe, when engaging soldiers or servants, hand a small oon in 
proof that the bargain has been accepted, so the Fijians, when effecting a bargain or sale, a or nee 
small deposit, which is called the “Yaqona,” and either consists of a piece of Kawa-root, or ra ot i article 
that may prove acceptable. Drinking Kawa being peculiar to all light-skinned a eee Pe ee ee 
(‘Story of New Zealand :’ London, 1859: Vol. 1, p. 193) expresses surprise that the : AOFIS 0 : ee ies 
should have forgotten the art of extracting it, “ seeing that the plant (Piper met ene orst. & He 
abundantly in the country.” But the Piper found wild in New Zealand is not, as ene supped pela 
Piper methystiewm, Forst. (the true Kawa plant), but the Piper exeelsune of the aia a oe Ss re pipe 
excelsum, Mig.). Hence it can form no surprise that a genuine Polynesian seeds e . ou ye ees 
the art alluded to during a jong nese of time eee perce peaedenge Has Bs ro ae 
discovery by Europeans. They have, however, preserved the name o : ei ratcen Soret ae 
to their indigenous pepper (Kawa-kawa), and also to a beverage (Kawa) made of | Fates ees 
oli, i ol: P -Kihi, Tutu, or Puhou. Kawa-kawa, according to Colen 
myrtifolia, Linn., a plant by them termed Tupa-Kihi, Daten Wee ae SS inh ely attempts to trace 
statement in J. D. Hooker’s ‘Flora of New Zealand,’ signifies “ piquan Sly ete Ban Reto 
Kawa, Kava, or Aya, as the yarious Polynesian dialects have it, to the Sanseri asya,” which se ae 
: ; ; “eats that in the Abyssinian province of Cafe (see arris’s 
general term for intoxicating beverages. It 18 ee Petree ane tapi es eee aie 
‘Highlands of Ethiopia’) the name of “ Kah-wa shoul g Dats PORN tee rea Revo ieiee 
reserved in the Vitian language, except in the instance of woes awe Uiverally. Wikaty. blend hive clined 
hacular manne OF epinesesyiugien,. Cees DU sida eBid ae cE uae Aroha, Dr, O’Rorke 
some attention. In the French translation of Gol ing Bird's w Oe eee ce tne hata ate Ae 
has inserted, amongst others, the following remarks:—“ The Kawa-p ant 18. a ie a faa rele 
sata 1d i imulant qualities render it applicable in those cases in which colehicu Dessay 
eSreuee ee RULE ae i : irit liquors, but rather induces a placid tran 
Bao eee Arnel he Se nat a e 44 nor its therapeutic action as lhgnum vite 
ila 11 te ré ’ t a : ; , 
a Mame Sai cis the islanders use it as a egeeine against the fees ate SF 
tT CAMCGPINSS age INTIS cher is drug, used to excess as an 1G gent, 
Oe eee ee 4 Pd tants even occasions elephantiasis. . . . The chemical con- 
ESR Pee Ly aaeay Obl are as follows :—carbon, 62°03; hydrogen, 6:10; nitrogen, 112; able 
ee ae eee a ae of cellulose, 49 per cent, of starch, one of methysticine, a cen - 
ae : oes ; vid resin called Kawine, and about 7 per cent. of gum, iron, and He Sere ee a 
peaches pe Same he * In a paper which M. Cuzent laid before the Academy of Sciences: 
substances of minor importance.” Jn a paper } it ig spelt in the report at hand), the active 
ast ahars ical composition of the Kavahine (thus it is spe DO ae ere eee 
abi ii, ee ee ee awa identical, it would seem, with what Gobley terms “‘ Methysticine, 
oe irate Ee 66 ase cent, of carbon, 6 of hydrogen, and 28 of oxygen. 
ius given: gen, 
: . if. (ined. 
9. P. latifolium, Forst. Prodr. n. 22, et Icon, (ined.) t, 18 ; Sol. Prim. ee Ins. ae : =o 
5 P, rkins. Icon, (ined,) t. 7; foliis coriaceo-membranaccis (stirp. 2) Crew Pat Tee 
f : oe i Lends basi truncatis y. leviter concavis, ae ee aN Me eer Mia, 
us" : : reregatis axillaribus.—MJacrept, . a 
a + laceo-alatis; amentis ? aggrega | raidai,’—Taviuni 
nerviis, petiolis stipu : teste Solander et Forster, “Ava avaidai, é 
: . Nomen vernac. Tahitense, teste | >! Bidwill ! 
eae 2 oa Also collected in the Society Islands (Banks and Solander! Forster )s 
ln. . rn 
ee feat Hebrides (Anderson !), and Tongan Islands (Forste1 !), 
3 
[PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 28, 1868. | 
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