The Arizona champion., 1890-09-27
AMONG THE POLYNESIANs.
Their Habits and Customs-Brewing tn,
 National Drink-The Pal Maker.

Their Habits and Customs-Brewing the
 National Drink-The Pal Maker.
 While conversing with Surgeon H. w. Whitaker he said he joined his ship, the Mohican, at San Francisco, Cal, in May, 1885, and sailed in her through the Col den Gate the following month for an ex- tensive cruise in the South Pacific, which lasted over three years. His supply of information shows that he has been close observer of the customs and habits of the Polynesians. As surgeon, he was brought more intimately in contact with them than others, and had the op- portunity of becoming personally &C., quainted with many of their strange doings, and he says some of his best friends have been formed among those people. One of the most curious and in- teresting customs he told your correspon- dent of was that of kava drinking among the inhabitants of the Samoan group of islands. He spoke very highly of those people, and said they were the finest race of people he had seen, the men being of large and almost perfect physique, sym metrically proportioned, with straight, coarse black hair and rich brownish color. He also said the women were even more attractive than the men, be- cause of their mild manners, kind and happy dispositions.
 The custom of making, and the form alities of drinking the kava, as related by the surgeon, was intensely interesting and will be news to all readers. Kava, he said, was a vegetable growth that grew Tn abundance on the islands belong ing to the pepper family, and from the roots of this plant they made their na- tional drink of kava, by first chewing the root until it was well masticated, then placing it in a wooden basin which they made for the purpose, and mixing it with water, it was ready to be served out. He said the first thought of this is always repulsive to civilized white man, and he invariably refuses to drink of it when offered to him, but if he stays in the islands long his prejudice is sure to be overcome, and it is not great while be- fore he becomes a convert and is fond of the strange drink.
 In describing the process of brewing the strange beverage he said young girl, the most comedy and attractive in a household or village, was the one se- lected to chew the root, which would first be thoroughly cleansed and broken into small pieces suitable for the size of the damsel's mouth. Before commence ing to masticate she would invariably thoroughly wash out Ter mouth with water in presence of all the assembled guests, and would then fold her graceful person, Ia Turk, upon mat spread on the floor, and chew and chew, all in one mouthful, until sufficient quantity would be ready. The hands, in the meantime, having been also washed, should receive the bolus, and with graceful motion dash it into the bowl, made of wood, in the shape of tin wash basin with four short feet, when the water would be added and the chewed root thoroughly mixed up with the hands and by a dexterous manner all the coarse particles removed. When the beer is adjudged to be completed by the fair one, three vigorous clippings of the hands all round signifies it is ready to be served. Strange to say, the most punctilious etiquette is observed in serving it, and for the want of which many an irreparable offense, ill the estimation of the true Samoan, has been given. The honored guest always receives the first bowl, and, according to the dictation of an old chief, the head of the family or the master of ceremonies. The nut brown maiden, a blushing figure of symmetrical physical beauty, presides at the bowl, Phoebe like, dishing out the Samoan nectar.
 A custom most closely related to this peculiar habit, continued the doctor, is that of pal eating by the natives of the Sandwich or Hawaiian Islands. Pai is strictly Hawaiian, he said, and is eaten by every man, woman and child, from King Kalakaua down, in those islands, | and forms the mainstay of life for the common people. The habit is so univer- sally established that the native Hawaiians | are called and known by the name of | "Pai-eaters."
 There grows in all the Pacific islands a | plant of the lily family, with large rich leaves and straight, bulbous root, which l is full of farinaceous food material, | which, together with bread fruit, forms the staple of life with the Polynesians, | taking the place of bread and potatoes. It is from this root that pal is made. | Pal making is as much of an institution | and quite as great necessity in the | Sandwich Islands as bread making is in | the United States.
 Thepai maker to his Majesty Kalakaua ia ToCr0r1o1 htr hin, 1T, I chamberlain, and is q parsonage much | envied. It is prepared fresh every day by first roasting the taro roots, from which 1t IS made, mashing and mixing it | with a proper quantity of water, then carefully strained to free it from all | Jumps, after which it is set aside to fer ment, When fermentation advances to the proper degree 1t is ready to be sold to the consumer. It is now either white. pinkish or blue in color, according to the kind of taro used in making, has the con- sistency of thick flour starch, looks like it, and, in fact, smells like it. It is served in Koawood bowls, highly polished and of different sizes, according to the tastes and capacity of the happy eater of pal.
 The manner of eating pal is not, at first, so distasteful to the stranger as kava drinking, but to perfectly refined taste, according to our acceptance of the word, the first repast of raw fish which is always eaten with pal is not happily calculated to sharpen the appetite. The bowl of p2i is placed in front of the guest of the household after he has folded up his feet and legs and disposed of them as best he can, but not always to his comfort and satisfaction, unless he has learned the habit of resting in the