n of his leg was giving my friend considerable
uneasiness, which he was stolidly enduring upon my account rather than
appear discourteously anxious to get rid of me. So, with the excuse
that I must needs be going, having another appointment, I left the good
fellow and strolled around to the chapel, where I sat enjoying the sight
of those simple-minded Kanakas at their devotions till it was time to
return on board. Before closing this chapter, I would like, for the
benefit of such of my readers who have not heard yet of Kanaka cookery,
to say that it is simplicity itself. A hole is scooped in the earth, in
which a fire is made (of wood), and kept burning until a fair-sized
heap of glowing charcoal remains. Pebbles are then thrown in until the
charcoal is covered. Whatever is to be cooked is enveloped in leaves,
placed upon the pebbles, and more leaves heaped upon it. The earth is
then thrown back into the cavity, and well stamped down. A long time is,
of course, needed for the viands to get cooked through; but so subtle is
the mode that overdoing anything is almost an impossibility. A couple of
days may pass from the time of "putting down" the joint, yet when it
is dug up it will be smoking hot, retaining all its juices, tender as
jelly, but, withal, as full of flavour as it is possible for cooked meat
to be. No matter how large the joint is, or how tough the meat, this
gentle suasion will render it succulent and tasty; and no form of
civilized cookery can in the least compare with it.

CHAPTER XXII. FAREWELL TO VAU VAU

Taking it all round, our visit to the Friendly Islands had not been
particularly fortunate up till the time of which I spoke at the
conclusion of the last chapter. Two-thirds of the period during which
the season was supposed to last had expired, but our catch had not
amounted to more than two hundred and fifty barrels of oil. Whales had
been undoubtedly scarce, for our ill-success on tackling bulls was
not at all in consequence of our clumsiness, these agile animals being
always a handful, but due to the lack of cows, which drove us to take
whatever we could get, which, as has been noted, was sometimes a severe
drubbing. Energy and watchfulness had been manifested in a marked degree
by everybody, and when the news circulated that our stay was drawing to
a close, there was, if anything, an increase of zeal in the hope that we
might yet make a favourable season.

But none of these valuable quali