SANDWICH ISLANDS.

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covery. The root is sweet and wholesome, and the nativeshave now learned to make an intoxicating liquor from it.The leaves woven together formed a light cloak, usedby the inhabitants of the mountains; and much likethose formed of the palm leaves by the poorer nativesof Hindostan, to shelter them while at work in the ricefields. Fences are often formed by planting the tee rootsclose together; but the great distinction of this plant is,that a stalk of it was the symbol of peace, as the olive iswith us. Although the art of making sugar was unknownto the Islanders, the cane was cultivated with great success,as a pleasant and nourishing kind of food.

Great pains were taken with the plantain grounds, andthe uru or breadfruit, which nature seems to have substi-tuted in the Isles of the Pacific for corn, was skilfully at-tended to*. The sweet potatoe, the yam, and in the drydistricts, the mountain taro, and the pepper T, from which

six species, three with red and three with white flowers: ethi ulha, ethi tarataramata ulha ’wha, ethi e matini, are the red ; ethi eaowamai, ethi e’aboabo, ethioheolie, are white .—Solander MS.

* Artocarpus; called also by the Otaheitans, uru. There are two species;the incisa and the integrifolia. The use of this excellent fruit is common inthe islands, from Sumatra westward. The tree has been so long cultivated thatthe seed-bearing trees are but seldom met with: the plants are propagated bylayers, and come early to bearing. The Otaheitans reckon twenty-two species(or varieties) ; the largest is eotea, the smallest, ehei.

f Piper inebrians; published by Foster as Piper Matathisticum.

D