At the conclusion of the dance they threw down their spears and cloth and retired to a house prepared for us, after which the natives divided our presents among the chiefs, each one taking a share according to his rank. When this was settled they brought us the provisions they had prepared and presented them with a great deal of ceremony, then left us to feast upon them, which we did with good appetites. We remained here some ten or twelve days receiving tribute, which consisted of tappah, sinnet, oil and mats, and sometimes a few whales' teeth, which is the most valuable article they have among them. By this time we had received all they had to give, so took our leave of them and proceeded to Lahcameber, stopping on our way at Turtle Island and several others. On the third day we arrived at Lahcameber. The landing was thronged with natives of both sexes, who received us with great joy. I was dressed in the Feejee costume (that is, no dress at all--only a strip of cloth around my body). I was accompanied to the palace, which was about half a mile from the landing, by the multitude, who gazed at me with much curiosity. The king's residence was situated in the center of the town, with a large square in front of it, neatly fenced in with reeds. The houses were neatly built, similar to those at Turtle Island. I was led into the palace and found the king entertaining a party, with a kind of drink called carver. I was presented to the king and a Friendly Island chief, who could talk some English, through whom the king inquired who I was and where I came from. I gave him the full particulars of the loss of the ship and the massacre of the crew. He then offered me a cup of carver, which I dared not refuse, although my stomach loathed it, and it was with much difficulty that I kept it down. This beverage is made from a root. It is first chewed by the natives. Each person except the chief takes a piece of the root and, after chewing it sufficiently, spits it into a wooden bowl. It is then mixed or kneaded with the hands, a little water added, and strained through the thin bark of the coconut tree, when it is ready for use. It is then poured into coconut shells and handed round, each one having a shell of his own. After drinking heartily of it, it leaves them in a kind of stupor, similar to the effect of opium. Disgusting as this beverage was to me at first, my repugnance gradually wore away and after a while I could drink it with as good a relish as I can now swallow a glass of beer, though as I look back it makes my stomach turn to think of it.