Fruits (continued)

Yava, or Intoxicating peper, is Cultivated here with much Care and pains; with the root of this, they Intoxicate themselves. They always drink it before they eat and it is prepared thus — several hands have each a proportion of the root given them to Chew which when they have done sufficiently they spit it into a large Platter; Some of the leaves are then Infused and Squesed to pieces in it, and in the mean time another prepares a Strainer from the Stems of Coarse Grass Calld Mo’oo, something like hemp, and the whole being well mixed is wrung through the Strainer and the leaves & Chewings thrown away — and the Juice is then devided according to the Number who are to drink it, by dipping the Strainer into the Platter and wringing into each mans Cup his Share — they now drink their dose which as it is of a tolerable thick Consistency and smells somthing like a Mixture of Rhubard & Jalap can be little better to take — almost Imediately deprives them of the use of their limbs & Speech, but does not toutch the Mental Faculty and they appear in a thoughtful mood and frequently fall backwards before they have finishd eating, some of their attendants then attend to Chafe their limbs all over till they fall asleep, and the rest retire and no noise is suffered to be made near them — after a few hours they are as fresh as if nothing had happend and are ready for another dose — a Jill of this Juice is a Sufficient dose, but if they eat any thing immediately before it, it has no effect.

After about a fortnights Constant use the Skin comes all over with a white scurf like the land scurvy and the Eyes grow red & firey and the Body lean and Meagre but on being left off for a few days the Scales fall off the Skin then becomes clear & smooth and they soon grow Fat & wholsom to view — this gives me reason to think that this nausious draught must be very wholesom as those who use it are Seldom afflicted with disorders of any kind and those who use it regularly are some of the oldest men in the Country — It is Common to all but is more used by the Chiefs & their Familys, Servants &c than by the common people. They prefer the method of Chewing it to any Other — it is in much request among people of rank but even some of them never tast it.

Tee is a plant Growing in the Mountains the root of which is sweet and this they roast & eat the leaves are about 14 or 16 inches long

Indigenous Histories