shells partly broken. We both of us forthwith placed one of
these natural goblets to our lips, and drained it in a moment of
the refreshing draught it contained. The poee-poee was then
placed before us, and even famished as I was, I paused to
consider in what manner to convey it to my mouth.

This staple article of food among the Marquese islanders is
manufactured from the produce of the bread-fruit tree. It
somewhat resembles in its plastic nature our bookbinders' paste,
is of a yellow colour, and somewhat tart to the taste.

Such was the dish, the merits of which I was now eager to
discuss. I eyed it wistfully for a moment, and then, unable any
longer to stand on ceremony, plunged my hand into the yielding
mass, and to the boisterous mirth of the natives drew it forth
laden with the poee-poee, which adhered in lengthy strings to
every finger. So stubborn was its consistency, that in conveying
my heavily-weighted hand to my mouth, the connecting links almost
raised the calabash from the mats on which it had been placed.
This display of awkwardness--in which, by-the-bye, Toby kept me
company--convulsed the bystanders with uncontrollable laughter.

As soon as their merriment had somewhat subsided, Mehevi,
motioning us to be attentive, dipped the forefinger of his right
hand in the dish, and giving it a rapid and scientific twirl,
drew it out coated smoothly with the preparation. With a second
peculiar flourish he prevented the poee-poee from dropping to the
ground as he raised it to his mouth, into which the finger was
inserted and drawn forth perfectly free from any adhesive matter.