88 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIS. 
It is usually by young girls that Yagona is chewed, but 
youths also do so. Anyone is not allowed to prepare the drink, 
but only young people possessing good health and sound teeth. 
First of all the mouth is rinsed out with a little water, 
pieces of the root are then taken and chewed, piece after piece 
being added until an. onlooker not used to the operation wonders 
greatly when the limit will be reached. 
When a good sized mass has accumulated in the mouth and 
is sufficiently masticated, the operation taking eight or ten 
minutes, it 1s carefully dropped into a large wooden basin called 
tarnoa. ‘This is accomplished either by taking the mass into 
the hand and placing it in the tarnoa, or what is considered more 
correct, by depressing the face in the tarnoa and gently dropping 
the chewed root therein. 
The mass of root so prepared presents the appearance of a 
handful of moist sawdust. The operator then proceeds to 
masticate another mouthful, three or four girls generally being 
employed and the chewing continued until a sufficient quantity 
has been prepared. Frequently a little water is taken into the 
mouth to moisten the dry root. 
One of the girls, having first washed her hands, kneels down 
beside the tarnoa and proceeds to carefully knead the contents 
with a small quantity of water, until they are thoroughly in- 
corporated, more water is then added by pouring in a_ slow 
stream from an earthenware vessel such as those exhibited, or 
from a joint of a large bamboo which is used for holding and 
carrying supplies. 
When sufficient water has been added, the particles of pul- 
verised root are carefully strained out by means of a bunch of 
fibres of the Vau (Hibiscus tiliaceus and H. tricuspis). The 
bunch of fibres is held at both ends and then passed horizontally 
through the liquid in such a way as to cause the solid particles 
to become entangled, the strainer is then lifted out_of the 
liquid, strongly wrung with the hands, and the particles of root 
shaken out. This operation is repeated until the liquid is suf- 
ficiently strained, when it presents the appearance of a turbid 
greyish-brown solution, somewhat resembling clayey water. 
More water is now added to dilute the decoction to the 
proper strength for drinking. 
The cocoanut drinking eup ealled bilo, is now filled and 
passed to the person of highest rank present, or to the visitor. 
The proper proceeding is for the person who prepared the 
