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DRINKS.
some
discordance
might
naturally
be
supposed
to
exhibit
itself
in
the
matter
of
their
potations.
But
this
is
not
thus.
The
great
drink
of
the
Beajus
is
allowed
on
all
hands
to
be
the
ava
or
cava,
prepared
from
the
piper
methysticum,
or
intoxicating
pepper
plant.
This
is
a
shrub
with
thick
roots,
long
heart-
shaped
leaves,
and
a
clump
or
spike
of
berries.
The
root
is
chewed
only
—
it
is
satisfactory to
learn
—
by
young
girls
with
good
teeth
and
dainty
mouths.^
Water
or
cocoa-nut
milk
is
poured on
the
masticated
pulp,
fermentation
ensues,
and
the
Beajus
drink
and
become
drunken.
The
mass
of
chewed
matter
is
kneaded
with
considerable
dexterity
by
practised
pro-
fessionals.
"
Every
tongue
is
mute,"
says
Mariner
one
of
the
crew
of
a
vessel
seized
by
the
natives
in
the
commencement
of
this
century,
—
"
while
this
opera-
tion
is
going
on
;
every eye
is
upon
them,
watching
every
motion
of
their
arms
as
they
describe
the
various
curvilinear
turns
essential
to
success."
Ava
is
also
drunk
in
Otaheite,
in
the
Feejee
islands,
and
those
of
the
Marquesas
and
of the
South
Seas.
China.
Tar-asun,
extracted
from
barley
or
wheat.
Is
the
beer
of
China.
It
is
sweet,
and
commonly
drunk
warm,
before
distillation.
The
mixed
liquor
from
which
it
is
prepared
is
called
tckoo,
or
wine;
after
that,
sam
or
san
1
According
to
Kotzebue,
old
woman
chew,
as
in
the
South
American
chica
—
let
us
hope
this
cannot
be
correct
—
and
little
girls
spit
on
it
to
thin
the
paste.
Kotzebue's
New
Voyage
Round
the
World,
vol.
ii.,
p.
170,