from which the blue sky was nearly concealed by the overlapping
branches of palm-trees. Here, through the medium of our female
guides, who, furnished with the spreading leaves of the tee-plant, drove
away our troublesome persecutors, we obtained a respite from their
attacks.
Having refreshed ourselves, we resumed our journey over a more
easy path; and after crossing two valleys, shaded by cocoa-nut trees,
we arrived at the village. It consisted of five liouses, built upon a
cleared piece of ground sloping to the sea, and commanding a distant
view of the horizon, through a break in an extensive wood of palms.
YVhile the men assisted to pitch our tent, the women employed themselves
in preparing our dinner, or more properly supper, as it was eight
o’clock at night.
The manner of cooking in Pitcairn’s Island is similar to that of
Otaheite, which, as some of my readers may not recollect, I shall briefly
describe. An oven is made in the ground, sufficiently large to contain
a good-sized pig, and is lined throughout with stones nearly equal in
size, which have been previously made as hot as possible. These are
covered with some broad leaves, generally of the tee-plant, and on
them is placed the meat. I f it be a pig, its inside is lined with heated
stones, as well as the oven; such vegetables as are to be cooked are
then placed round the animal: the whole is carefully covered with
leaves of the tee, and buried beneath a heap of earth, straw, or
rushes and boughs, which, by a little use, becomes matted into one
mass. In about an hour and a quarter the animal is sufficiently cooked,
and is certainly more thoroughly done than it would be by a fire.
By the time the tent was up and the instruments secured, we
were summoned to a meal cooked in this manner, than which a less
sumptuous fare would have satisfied appetites rendered keen by long
abstinence and a tiresome journey. Our party divided themselves
that they might not crowd one house in particular: Adams did not
entertain ; but at Christian’s I found a table spread with plates, knives,
and forks ; which, in so remote a part of the world, was an unexpected
sight. They were, it is true, far from uniform; but by one article
being appropriated for another, we all found something to put our
portion upon ; and but few of the natives were obliged to substitute ciIAP.
their fingers for articles which are indispensable to the comfort of U ' U
more polished life. The smoking pig, by a skilful dissection, was soon Dec.
portioned to every guest, but no one ventured to put its excellent
qualities to the test until a lengthened Amen, pronounced by ail the
party, had succeeded an emphatic grace delivered by the village parson.
“ Turn to” was then the signal for attack, and as it is convenient that
all the party should finish their meal about the same time, in order
that one grace might serve for all, each made the most of his time.
In Pitcairn’s Island it is not deemed proper to touch even a bit of
bread without a grace before and after it, and a person is accused of
inconsistency if he leaves off and begins again. So strict is their observance
of this form, that we do not know of any instance in which it
has been forgotten. On one occasion 1 had engaged Adams in conversation,
and he incautiously took the first mouthful without having
said his grace ; but before he had swallowed it, he recollected himself,
and feeling as if he had committed a crime, immediately put away
what he had in his mouth, and commenced his prayer.
YVelcome cheer, hospitality, and good-humour, were the characteristics
of the feast; and never was their beneficial influence more
practically exemplified than on this occasion, by the demolition of
nearly all that was placed before us. YTith the exception of some
M’ine we had brought with us, water was the only beverage. Tliis was
placed in a pitcher at one end of the board, and when necessary, was
passed round the table—a ceremony at which, in Pitcairn’s Island in
particular, it is desirable to be the first partaker, as the gravy of the
dish is invariably mingled with the stream ; the natives, who prefer
using their fingers to forks, being quite indifferent whetlier they hold
the vessel by the handle or by the spout. Three or four torches made
with doodoc nuts {aleurites triloba), strung upon the fibres of a palm-
Icaf, were stuck in tin pots at the end of the table, and formed an excellent
substitute for candles, except that they gave a considerable
heat, and cracked, and fired, somewhat to the discomfiture of the person
whose face was near them.
Notwithstanding these deficiencies, we made a very comfortable
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