The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-10-24
Sketches of Honolulu.
From Colton's "Deck and Port.

From Colton's "Deck and Port"
SATURDAY, JUNE Is. The huts of the
natives dot with cheerful aspect the
broad plain on which Honolulu stands,
and stretch away into the green gorges
of the mountains. They resemble in the
distance ricks Of hay, and you half per.
suade yourself that you have arrived in
community OF thrifty farmers. This
impression almost flashes into conviction,
when you see herds of cattle reposing in
the valleys, and goats bounding among
the cliffs. But the rush of children from
the interior OF these hay-stacks. and their
prattle and laughter among the vines
which trail their porches, soon dispel the
illusion. You find them human habita.
tions, and possessing, in many instances,
an air of surprising neatness and comfort.
True, you find in them no chairs,
tables, or ordinary cooking utensils; nor
do the habits of the inmates render these
articles necessary. But you find thick
mats, on which they sleep and sit, as
Adam and Eve did on the leaves which
the autumnal wind shook from their
bowers. They need no frcpaccs, no
glowing CRATE, or cracking hearth, "a
broad, bright sun, wheeling up in splen-
dor out of a quiet ocean, reigns monarch
of the seasons, and tempers the air Alright.
Their apparel extends but little beyond
the simplest requirements of the nursery.
1t is garment seemingly thrown on for
the sake of modesty, as drapery is some.
times attached to statue. But the pro-
portions still swell in their roundness and
strength on the eye. 1t was with no
little difficulty the missionaries could per.
suade them to assume even this scanty
garment. 1t seemed to them superfui.
ty, suggested neither by the character.
istics Of the climate, nor sentiments of
delicacy. They would have gone With.
out it as readily to church as to car
ousal Such is habit impressed on peo.
pie by the force of barbaric ages.
Near each cot you encounter an oven,
not obtruded on your eye as if to mock
your hunger, but modestly sunk in the
earth. The cavity is lined with stones,
in which fire is kindlcd when suffic.
icntly heated, the embers are removed,
few taro-leaves thrown in, and on this
the taro itself and meat. The whole is
then covered over with taro.leaves and
earth. The meat thus preserves It's jucies
and has an advantage in this respect over
all modern inventions. This primitive
process of cooking is called the lua.
The most esteemed roaster, that I'm.
dergoes the lua, is one Of the canine
species. 1t is dog resembling the
larger-sized poodle, with smooth hair and
soft flesh. 1t is nursed at the breast Of
the women, and never allowed to eat
animal food. 1t is baked entire, like the
pig, and is said to taste very much like
that little grunter. This is considered
the most choice dish which an epicurean
chief can present to his distinguished
guests. was earnestly invited to par
take of one, but the little fellows once
cheerful bark, his wagging tail in token
of recognition, his love OF children, his
participation in their sports, his gratitude
and uususpectiug confidence, were all too
warm in my imagination to permit the
deed. | would never take life for the
sake of animal food. and least Of all the
life of one that is
THE first to welcome foremost 10 defend"
Ip another hut we entered, we found
the mother and her children seated around
large calabash, which contained poi.
This is the dish on which the natives
mostly subsst. 1t is made of the root of
the taro plant, which resembles in shape
The large beet. A plat of low ground is
thrown up into little hills like potatoe.
patch, and water let in sufficient to fill
the iurrows. In these hills the taro
grows, shaded only by its own luxuriant
leaves. At maturity. which it reaches
in few months the men and women
dash into it, and, with the water ankle
deep, commence pulling The bottoms,
which are intended for consumption, are
conveyed to the earth-oyen being baked,
they are then pounded, and water added
till the mass assumes the consistency OF
paste. In this state it undergoes par
tial fermentation, and is then in prime
order for eating. 1t is conveyed to the
mouth by the two fore6ugers, which are
dipped into it, and to which it adheres
in pendulous globule, which slight
shake detaches.
This was the dish to which the mother
invited us, aud which it seemed almost
discourteous 10 decline. Her little
daughter exclaiming, "Mili, mil-good,"
coaxed me to let her drop a globule of it
from her small fingers into my mouth.
Down it dropped, and down it went,
leaving only a sour taste. | tried to
keep up look Of relish, but the effort
must have betrayed itself This was the
last time | attempted poi. On this the
natives live, and their physical develop
ments sufficiently attest its nutritious
properties. Some of them. who are ex-
empted by their means from labor, attain
a giant stature They become extremely
fat, and roll along as if bone and muscle
were hardly equal to the task of locomo.
ton. What think ye of that, ye carniv-
orous tribe, who judge Of mans bulk
bv the amount of roast beef which ha