Mr.Banks found his friend leaning his head against a post, in an attitude of the utmost languor and despondency.

His attendants brought out a leaf folded up with great care, containing part of the poison of the effects of which their master was now dying.

On opening the leaf Mr.Banks found in it a chew of tobacco, which the chief had asked from some of the seamen, and imitating them, as he thought, he had rolled it about in his mouth, grinding it to powder with his teeth, and ultimately swallowing it.
During the examination of the leaf he looked up at Mr.Banks with the most piteous countenance, and intimated that he had but a very short time to live.

A copious draught of cocoa-nut milk, however, set all to rights, and the chief and his attendants were at once restored to that flow of cheerfulness and good-humour, which is the characteristic of these single-minded people.
There is, however, one plant from the root of which they extract a juice of an intoxicating quality, called _Ava_, but Cook's party saw nothing of its effects, probably owing to their considering drunkenness as a disgrace.

This vice of drinking ava is said to be peculiar almost to the chiefs, who vie with each other in drinking the greatest number of draughts, each draught being about a pint.