the whole of the fibres of the root are by these means enclosed in the fow, forming as it were a roll of above two feet in length, lying along the bottom from side to side, the edges of the fow meeting each other underneath. He now

carefully rolls it over, so that the edges overlapping each other, or rather intermingling, come uppermost. He next doubles in the two ends, and rolls it carefully over again, endeavouring to reduce it to a narrower and firmer compass. He now brings it cautiously out of the fluid, taking firm hold of it by the two ends, one in each hand (the back of the hands being upwards), and raising it breast high, with his arms considerably extended, he brings his right hand towards his breast, moving it gradually onwards, and whilst his left hand is coming round towards his right shoulder, his right hand partially twisting the fow, lays the end which it holds upon the left elbow, so that the fow lies thus extended upon that arm, one end being still grasped by the left hand. The right hand being now at liberty, is brought under the left fore arm (which still remains in the same situation), and carried outwardly towards the left elbow, that it may again seize in that situation the end of the fow. The right hand then describes a bold curve outwardly from the

chest, whilst the left comes across the chest, describing a curve nearer to him, and in the opposite direction, till at length the left hand is extended from him, and the right approaches to the left shoulder, gradually twisting the fow by the turn and flexures principally of that wrist : this double motion is then retraced, but in such a way (the left wrist now principally acting), that the fow, instead of being untwisted, is still more twisted, and is at length again placed upon the left arm, while he takes a new and less constrained hold. Thus the hands and arms perform a variety of curves of the most graceful description the muscles both of the arms and chest are seen rising as they are called into action, displaying what would be a fine and uncommon subject of study for the painter, for no combinations of animal action can develope the swell and play of the muscles with more grace or with better effect. The degree of strength which he exerts when there is a large quantity is very great, and the dexterity with which he accomplishes the whole never fails to excite the attention and admiration of all present: every tongue is mute, and every eye is upon him, watching each motion of his arms, as they describe the various curvilinear turns essential to the success of the operation. Sometimes the fibres of the

fow are heard to crack with the increasing tension, yet the mass is seen whole and entire, becoming more thin as it becomes more twisted, while the infusion drains from it in a regularly decreasing quantity, till at length it denies a single drop. He now gives it to a person on his left side, and receives fresh fow from another in attendance on his right, and begins the operation anew, with a view to collect what before might have escaped him; and so on, even a third time, till no dregs are left, save what are so fine and so equally diffused through the whole liquid as not to be thus separated*.

* No man undertakes to perform this operation at a large party but who has been well practised on smaller occasions: for it is considered a great accomplishment, even worthy of a chief; but a failure on such an occasion would look very bad: Mr. Mariner, however, never witnessed one. The cava dregs which have been thus put aside are afterwards taken away by the cooks, and chewed over again to make fresh infusion for themselves. The disgusted reader will here perhaps call to mind the assertion we have formerly made, that no nation can excel the Tonga people in personal cleanliness, and will regret that they are not equally clean in their food. If this objection were made to a native, he would say, " it is not indeed very cleanly, for we would not eat a piece of yam which another had bitten; but chewing the cava is an ancient practice, and we think nothing of it: but what," he will perhaps add, " can be more filthy and disgusting than the Papalangi practice of drinking the milk of a beast, and giving it to your children for food ?"-Every country has its customs.

During the above operation, various people in the exterior circle are employed making cava cups of the unexpanded leaf of the banana tree, which is cut into lengths of about nine inches, each piece being then unfolded is nearly square; the two ends are next plaited up in a particular manner, and tied with a fibre of the stem of the leaf, forming a very elegant cup, not unworthy of imitation. These leaves are provided beforehand, as well as the water, the bowl, &c. by the cooks. Sometimes it happens that there is not water enough, in which case off starts some one from the exterior circle to fetch more, running as if it were for his life, and twenty more after him, each anxious to shew his readiness in arriving first with the water in a short time, if they are not returned, twenty or thirty more will rush off with equal swiftness: presently after they are seen coming back, forty or fifty in number, at full speed, with three or four cocoa nutshells of water; or if any thing else is wanted, it is fetched in the same prompt way.

In the meanwhile, also, the fono, or provisions to be eaten with the cava, is shared out. This generally consists of yams, ripe bananas, or plantains, in sufficient quantity that each in the superior circle may have a small portion to eat after his dish of cava. The mataboole calls

out for somebody to come and divide the fono: a couple generally advance forward and proceed to make the division. A large portion is first separated, and presented to the presiding chief, by laying it before him: this being done, the mataboole orders the remainder to be divided equally between the two sides, left and right, of the superior circle; each person has consequently a portion presented to him in the order in which he sits. This operation takes up about three or four minutes, and is performed quietly, when the man at the bowl begins to wring out the cava.

The infusion of cava being now strained, the performance of which generally occupies about a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes, the man at the bowl calls out gooa ma he caváne, the cava is clear: the mataboole replies, fucca tow, squeeze out, alluding to the peculiar operation of filling the cups. Two or three from the inferior or exterior circle now come forward and sit down near the bowl, bringing with them and placing on the ground several of the cups: one then rises and holds with both hands a cup to be filled, standing a little on one side, and holding the cup over the middle of the bowl, so that his body does not obstruct the view of those at the top of the superior circle. The