The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-03-23

SOUTH SEA CUSTOMS.
wrecked Sailors Feasted by Royalty.
Drinking Knva with tho Natives.

Drinking Kava with tho Natives.
Even ut this late period in the Nine
teenth century, when the people are
supposed to know something of almost
every habitable spot upon the globe.
they continually meet with something
new in the habits and customs of races
living in some remote part of the
world. Members of the crew of the
ship John Bryce, which was wrecked
in the South Pacific, give a graphic
account of tho drinking of "kaya' by
the natives of the island upon which
they landed after being in an open
boat seven days. 1t was the island of
Manus, located about Is degrees south
latitude and 176 degrees west longi-
,tude There is only one white resi-
dent there-an Englishman.
After the arrival of the shipwrecked
party King Malatua, who reigns over
the little island, gave them a banquet,
which is thus described by John
Wille, ono of the crew:
His majesty issued an order to his
subjects to bring in the material for
the dinner, which they did. 1t was
served in q large bamboo house at 2
o'clock in the afternoon, banana leaves
being spread on the floor for table
cover. The king sat at the head with
his chiefs on his right. Capt. Murphy
was to occupy the seat to his left, but,
as he was i'll, the kings daughter took
the seat. A crowd of natives were
ranged around the walls of the house,
while women and girls were singing
and dancing on the outside for the
amusement of the guests. The bill of
fare consisted of raw fish, fish blood
sauce, cocoanuts, cocoanut milk, fowls,
roasted pig and sweet potatoes.
After the dinner two young girls
were sent out to dig up some kava
roots, and when they returned with
the required quantity they were
,ushered into the banqueting hall.
They washed the roots and then sat
down in front of large basin partly
filed with water. Each maiden was
provided with a sort of ladle, which
was fastened under her chin by means
of thongs passed over the head. A
root was then taken by each young
lady and the process Of mastication
commenced.
AS they chewed the saliva ran out
of each corner of their mouth and into
the ladle prepared to receive it under
their chin. AS soon as it became full
it was taken off and emptied into the
basin. When the root was sufficiently
chewed it also was spat into the basin.
When all the roots had been treated in
this manner the girls proceeded to rub
the stuff they had chewed between
their hands and wrung and squeezed
the juice out of it, throwing the refuse
away.
The liquid in the basin was then
stirred up, cocoanuts shell cups were
produced, and the decoction was
handed to each of the guests by the
ladies who had done the chewing.
We were warned by the Englishman
in an undertone that to refuse would
give offense, SO each gallant tar par
took thereof with expressions and feel
ings akin to that of the small boy who
was forced to swallow a dose of salts.
1t tasted and looked just like soapsuds,
and another dose in my case would
certainly have acted as an emetic. The
natives are very fond of it and drink it
readily. 1t has most peculiar effect
upon the human system.
You will see ring of natives drink
ing kava, and apparently nothing the
matter with them, each man talking
and acting in perfectly rational
manner; but let one of them attempt
to rise and you will notice the differ
ence. He is drunk from his waist
TO his feet, while his upper story has
not been affected at all.
When we had finished our meal the
4 II
festival being continued until IL
o'clock. After eight days on the ISL
and we were taken TO Apia, Somoa,
and there we shipped for home.-San
francisco Chronicle.