Some take out the hearts at first, but tho that Method renders the Mahee whiter then the other yet the Bread will not ferment so soon without the assistance of some old Mahee nor will it keep so well — the Men and Weomen having each their own trees have also their own Mahee and should a Man who is not the Servant of a Woman toutch even the Covering of the Womans Mahee it is rendered unfit for Her Use, which at once accounts for Sir Joseph Banks’s having spoild a quantity which belongd to a Woman by his being desirous to see the nature of the Process of making it and examining the Contents of the pit — which was not only rendered of no use to the Woman but the place in which it was underwent the same fate and no woman Could ever use it afterwards.

If the Crop on any individuals land should run short of His expectation and He has not sufficient to make as much Mahee as he wants or thinks will serve He makes a Number of Garlands of a shrubb Calld Pirrepirre and takes One to evry House or as Many as he thinks proper and throws them in without saying any thing except to tell the day he intends to send for it or have it brought home, evry one knowing what is Meant by the Garland, If He has hands sufficient to Scrape the whole at once it is brought home to the House, each Man bringing the Garland left at his house as full of Bread as it Can be Made fast and laving it down at the Door returns without any further Ceremony then bidding God bless his Work; if He has not sufficient help to take the whole in hand at once he makes it known and either goes himself for it when he wants it or has it brought at the time he nominates to those who supply him, who are ever ready to assist evry Man according to his Abilitys. If he goes for it himself he always finds the Garlands ready filld at the appointed time — By this Method of assisting each other they never feel the least Inconvenience from having a Scanty Crop and if a Chief wants a Supply for the purpose of Making Mahee he sends a Bit of Cocoa Nut leaf to all, or as Many of the Inhabitants of his district as he shall think proper, and on the appointed day they Bring each a load, which is generally accompanied with a hog by some and fish by others according to their several abilitys, but this they have seldom occasion to do as they are always well supplyd and when supplys are raised this Way the people bring it in such a Manner as bespeaks at once their regard

Indigenous Histories