The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-10
SOUTH SEA FEASTING.
An American Woman Dimes with
CnnibaI Descendants.

IL
CanibaI Descendants.
| Qrom the San Francisco Chronicle)
The guests invited to meet me were all
! Caucasian ladies. The house is of such
| immense proportions that it was hard to
understand how the great ridge pole had
been raised to its lofty position with the
! primitive native appliances. until the in
| formation that 800 men were employed
served as partial explanation. The win
| lows were screened by blind made of
! braided cocoanut leaves. a string fastened
to the bottom of this blind passes up over
| a rafter. By this the blind can be fas-
tened inside out Of the way. similar
| arrangement on the outside makes il act
as an awning or screen. 1t is scarcely
| possible to imagine the GOODNESS of this
lofty open house when We entered il on
hot day. Ratu Bene-the husband-re-
ceived the guests with the hostess. We
were escorted directly to the little raised
platform. which we learned after was
usually sacred to guests belonging to the
Ffjian nobility.
had brought out all the rare mats which
are treasured heirlooms in her family
covering the floor to such a depth that we
decided sitting Turk fashion" was not so
very hard after all. AS the hour for the
feast approached Ratu Bene disappeared,
as the dinner was TO be ladies' function.
Finally at quiet signal from their mis-
tress. two pretty attendants appeared
with handsome double mat, long enough
to reach entirely across the room. This
was TO serve as tablecloth. Beside it, on
the side opposite the door, was placed an
other. This was for the guests to sit up
upon, The princess occupying small one
at tie head of this improvised table.
When hostess and guests had taken
their places, one flower bedeCked maiden
placed fan beside each as two others
brought in the soup. This was much like
bouillon and was served in half cocoa
nut shells. No spoons being forthcoming,
took my cue from those fa1SiIiar with
native customs and drank the liquid.
When the central calabash and the indi-
vidual soup bowls had disappeared other
attendants brought fish. This was served
In native plates. plated from cocoanut
leaves and lined with crisp. fresh banana
leaves. Before each guest was laid n
glossy taro leaf, which was TO answer the
purpose of plate. Neither knives nor
forks appeared, but so delicious was the
fish that we all proved ourselves aware
that fingers were made before forks.
Al the conclusion of this course one
servant folded our plates and removed
them. another cleared the table, and to
shell hlled with water. While these prim-
tive finger bowls were used, fringed
square of white tapa was furnished to
taxa the place of a serviette. Prawns
came next, and by each of us stood dus-
ky handmade to remove the shells.
Graceful and dignified, our royal hostess
kept an alert eye upon all, for it is a part
OF native etiquette that she shall eat moth
ing until her guests have finished. Turtle
followed. the prawns, ard with it were
served baked beans. / had gone with a
fixed determination to eat what was set be-
fore me. no matter how great the effort of
will required. By this time ! had decided
that Fijian cooking did not need much i'm
proving, and when delicious roast fowls
appeared accompanied by great golden
spheres Of bread fruit served in trench
ers and garnished with the crisp bread
fruit leaves. / was inclined to think that
this primitive people could give some
points 10 table decorators.
At the close OF each course the green
plates were replenished. the finger bowls
passed and the table entirely cleared By
the swift, deft- handed attendants whose
ablect, crouching courtesies, made each
time the princess was passed, were anus
ing to see.
The queer puddings, "yakilolo," which
came with dessert were made of taro and
something OF a tax upon the ingenuity of
those to whom spoons are an every day
matter, consisted of great Java bananas.
gashed filled with grated cocoanut and
served floating in cocoanut milk. A jelly
came next, the ingredients of which were
arrowroot, seaweed. and cOcoanut. This
was the only dish which did not appeal TO
my palate, the seawecd making itself IN
pleasantly manifest by a saltish flavor
AS kava, the recognized tipple of the
South Seas. was not allowable at a ladies'
dinner. the drink offered consisted OF the
expressed juice Of n sour fruit called a
roe" sweetened with sugarcane Juice
The fans at our places had been made ex-
pressly for us to retain as souvenirs Of
this unique dinner party.
The dress of our hostess might be sum
med up as ''sulu" and a "pinafore" The
"sulu'' is the short, loose loin cloth which
is worn by both sexes. Folded about the
waist it hangs almost to the knees. The
pinafore is like a Mother Hubbard wrap
per cut off at the waist line so that each
movement Of the wearer's arm reveals a
strip of brown skin between the two gar
ments. The hair Of all married women
is worn short In many cases elaborate
floral decorations are worn. but the ex-
IRENE simplicity, which is a marked char
acteristic of the princess. is apparent in
her omission Of such additions to her cos
tune.