TAHITIAN STILL. el 
place. The but-end of a tree was then hol- 
lowed out, and placed upon the rough stone boiler 
for a cap. The baked ¢z root, called Dracane 
terminalis, macerated in water, and already in a 
state of fermentation, was then put into the hollow 
stone, and covered with the unwieldy cap. The 
fire was kindled underneath; a hole was made in 
the wooden cap of the still, into which a long, 
small, bamboo cane, placed in a trough of cold 
water, was inserted at one end, and, when the pro- 
cess of distillation was commenced, the spirit flowed 
from the other into a calabash, cocoa-nut shell, or 
other vessel, placed underneath to receive it. 
Tahitian Still. 
ie 
au 
ey 
ie 
When the materials were prepared, the men and 
boys of the district assembled in a kind of tempo- 
rary house, erected over the still, in order to drink 
the ava, as they called the spirit. The first that 
issued from the still being the strongest, they called 
the ao; it was carefully received, and given to the 
chief: that subsequently procured, was drunk by 
K 2 
