This proved to be "Lownee," an excellent relish, prepared from the grated meat of ripe cocoa-nuts, moistened with cocoa-nut milk and salt water, and kept perfectly tight until a little past the saccharine stage of fermentation.
Throughout the repast there was much lively chatting among the islanders, in which their conversational powers quite exceeded ours.
The young ladies, too, showed themselves very expert in the use of their tongues, and contributed much to the gaiety which prevailed.
Nor did these lively nymphs suffer the meal to languish; for upon the doctor's throwing himself back, with an air of much satisfaction, they sprang to their feet, and pelted him with oranges and guavas.
This, at last, put an end to the entertainment.
By a hundred whimsical oddities, my long friend became a great favourite with these people; and they bestowed upon him a long, comical title, expressive of his lank figure and Koora combined.

The latter, by the bye, never failed to excite the remark of everybody we encountered.
The giving of nicknames is quite a passion with the people of Tahiti and Imeeo.

No one with any peculiarity, whether of person or temper, is exempt; not even strangers.
A pompous captain of a man-of-war, visiting Tahiti for the second time, discovered that, among the natives, he went by the dignified title of "Atee Poee"-- literally, Poee Head, or Pudding Head.

Nor is the highest rank among themselves any protection.

The first husband of the present queen was commonly known in the court circles as "Pot Belly." He carried the greater part of his person before him, to be sure; and so did the gentlemanly George IV .-- but what a title for a king consort! Even "Pomaree" itself, the royal patronymic, was, originally, a mere nickname; and literally signifies, one talking through his nose.