After dinner, or rather after we had refreshed ourselves with some provisions which we had brought with us from our ship, we made an excursion into the country, taking a pretty large circuit, attended by one of the king's ministers. Our train was not great, as he would not suffer the rabble to follow us. He also obliged all those whom we met upon our progress, to sit down till we had passed, which is a mark of respect due only to their sovereigns. We found by far the greatest part of the country cultivated, and planted with various sorts of productions; and most of these plantations were fenced round. Some spots, where plantations had been formerly, now produced nothing, lying fallow; and there were places that had never been touched, but lay in a state of nature, and yet even these were useful, in affording them timber, as they were generally covered with trees. We met with several large uninhabited houses, which, we were told, belonged to the king. There were many public and well-beaten roads, and abundance of foot-paths leading to every part of the island. The roads being good, and the country level, travelling was very easy. It is remarkable, that when we were on the most elevated parts, at least a hundred feet above the level of the sea, we often met with the same coral rock, which is found at the shore, projecting above the surface, and perforated and cut into all those inequalities which are usually seen in rocks that lie within the wash of the tide. And yet these very spots, with hardly any soil upon them, were covered with luxuriant vegetation. We were conducted to several little pools, and to some springs of water; but, in general, they were either stinking or brackish, though recommended to us by the natives as excellent. The former were mostly inland, and the latter near the shore of the bay, and below high-water mark, so that tolerable water could be taken up from them, only when the tide was out.
When we returned from our walk, which was not till the dusk of the evening, our supper was ready. It consisted of a baked hog, some fish, and yams, all excellently well cooked, after the method of these islands. As there was nothing to amuse us after supper, we followed the custom of the country, and lay down to sleep, our beds being mats spread upon the floor, and cloth to cover us. The king, who had made himself very happy with some wine and brandy which we had brought, slept in the same house, as well as several others of the natives. Long before day-break, he and they all rose, and sat conversing by moon-light. The conversation, as might well be guessed, turned wholly upon us; the king entertaining his company with an account of what he had seen, or remarked. As soon as it was day, they dispersed, some one way, and some another; but it was not long before they all returned, and, with them, several more of their countrymen.
They now began to prepare a bowl of kava; and, leaving them so employed, I went to pay a visit to Toobou, Captain Furneaux's friend, who had a house hard by, which, for size and neatness, was exceeded by few in the place. As I had left the others, so I found here a company preparing a morning draught. This chief made a present to me of a living hog, a baked one, a quantity of yams, and a large piece of cloth. When I returned to the king, I found him, and his circle of attendants, drinking the second bowl of kava. That being emptied, he told Omai, that he was going presently to perform a mourning ceremony, called Tooge, on account of a son who had been dead some time, and he desired us to accompany him. We were glad of the opportunity, expecting to see somewhat new or curious.
The first thing the chief did, was to step out of the house, attended by two old women, and put on a new suit of clothes, or rather a new piece of cloth, and, over it, an old ragged mat, that might have served his great grandfather, on some such occasion. His servants, or those who attended him, were all dressed in the same manner, excepting that none of their mats could vie, in antiquity, with that of their master. Thus equipped, we marched off, preceded by about eight or ten persons, in all the above habits of ceremony, each of them, besides, having a small green bough about his neck. Poulaho held his bough in his hand till we drew near the place of rendezvous, when he also put it about his neck. We now entered a small inclosure, in which was a neat house, and we found one man sitting before it. As the company entered, they pulled off the green branches from round their necks, and threw them away. The king having first seated himself, the others sat down before him, in the usual manner. The circle increased, by others dropping in, to the number of a hundred or upward, mostly old men, all dressed as above described. The company being completely assembled, a large root of kava, brought by one of the king's servants, was produced, and a bowl which contained four or five gallons. Several persons now began to chew the root, and this bowl was made brimful of liquor. While it was preparing, others were employed in making drinking cups of plantain leaves. The first cup that was filled, was presented to the king, and he ordered it to be given to another person. The second was also brought to him, which he drank, and the third was offered to me. Afterward, as each cup was filled, the man who filled it, asked who was to have it? Another then named the person; and to him it was carried. As the bowl grew low, the man who distributed the liquor seemed rather at a loss to whom cups of it should be next sent, and frequently consulted those who sat near him. This mode of distribution continued, while any liquor remained; and though not half the company had a share, yet no one seemed dissatisfied. About half a dozen cups served for all; and each, as it was emptied, was thrown down upon the ground, where the servants picked it up, and carried it to be filled again. During the whole time, the chief and his circle sat as was usually the case, with a great deal of gravity, hardly speaking a word to each other.
We had long waited in expectation, each moment, of seeing the mourning ceremony begin; when, soon after the kava was drank out, to our great surprise and disappointment, they all rose up and dispersed; and Poulaho told us, he was now ready to attend us to the ships. If this was a mourning ceremony, it was a strange one. Perhaps it was the second, third, or fourth mourning; or, which was not very uncommon, Omai might have misunderstood what Poulaho said to him. For, excepting the change of dress, and the putting the green bough round their necks, nothing seemed to have passed at this meeting, but what we saw them practise, too frequently, every day.
[168]"We had seen the drinking of kava sometimes at the other islands, but, by no means, so frequently as here, where it seems to be the only forenoon employment of the principal people. The kava is a species of pepper, which they cultivate for this purpose, and esteem it a valuable article, taking great care to defend the young plants from any injury; and it is commonly planted about their houses. It seldom grows to more than a man's height, though I have seen some plants almost double that. It branches considerably, with large heart-shaped leaves, and jointed stalks. The root is the only part that is used at the Friendly Islands, which, being dug up, is given to the servants that attend, who, breaking it in pieces, scrape the dirt off with a shell, or bit of stick, and then each begins and chews his portion, which he spits into a piece of plantain leaf. The person who is to prepare the liquor, collects all these mouthfuls; and puts them into a large wooden dish, or bowl, adding as much water as will make it of a proper strength. It is then well mixed up with the hands, and some loose stuff, of which mats are made, is thrown upon the surface, which intercepts the fibrous part, and is wrung hard, to get as much liquid out from it, as is possible. The manner of distributing it need not be repeated. The quantity which is put into each cup is commonly about a quarter of a pint. The immediate effect of this beverage is not perceptible on these people, who use it so frequently; but on some of ours, who ventured to try it, though so nastily prepared, it had the same power as spirits have, in intoxicating them; or, rather, it produced that kind of stupefaction, which is the consequence of using opium, or other substances of that kind. It should be observed, at the same time, that though these islanders have this liquor always fresh prepared, and I have seen them drink it seven times before noon, it is, nevertheless, so disagreeable, or, at least, seems so, that the greatest part of them cannot swallow it without making wry faces, and shuddering, afterward,"
[Footnote 168: The following account of kava, to the end of this paragraph, is inserted from Mr Anderson's journal.--D.]
As soon as this mourning ceremony was over, we left Mooa, and set out to return to the ships. While we rowed down the lagoon, or inlet, we met with two canoes coming in from fishing. Poulaho ordered them to be called alongside our boat, and took from them every fish and shell they had got. He, afterward, stopped two other canoes, and searched them, but they had nothing. Why this was done I cannot say, for we had plenty provisions in the boat. Some of this fish he gave to me, and his servants sold the rest on board the ship. As we proceeded down the inlet, we overtook a large sailing canoe. Every person on board her, that was upon his legs when we came up, sat down till we had passed; even the man who steered, though he could not manage the helm, except in a standing posture.
Poulaho, and others, having informed me, that there was some excellent water on Onevy, a little island, which lies about a league off the mouth of the inlet, and on the north side of the eastern channel, we landed there, in order to taste it. But I found it to be as brackish as most that we had met with. This island is quite in a natural state, being only frequented as a fishing place, and has nearly the same productions as Palmerston's Island, with some etoa trees. After leaving Onevy, where we dined, in our way to the ship, we took a view of a curious coral rock, which seems to have been thrown upon the reef where it stands. It is elevated about ten or twelve feet above the surface of the sea that surrounds it. The base it rests upon, is not above one-third of the circumference of its projecting summit, which I judged to be about one hundred feet, and is covered with etoa and pandanus trees.
When we got on board the ship, I found that every thing had been quiet during my absence, not a theft having been committed, of which Feenou, and Futtafaihe, the king's brother, who had undertaken the management of his countrymen, boasted not a little. This shews what power the chiefs have, when they have the will to execute it; which we were seldom to expect, since, whatever was stolen from us, generally, if not always, was conveyed to them.