They also use to mix with it, fish, which they commonly eat raw with the addition of a little salt, obtained by evaporation.
[Footnote E: Bougainville calls it "Calf-foot root."] The _ava_ is a plant more injurious than useful to the inhabitants of these isles; since they only make use of it to obtain a dangerous and intoxicating drink, which they also call _ava_.

The mode of preparing this beverage is as follows: they chew the root, and spit out the result into a basin; the juice thus expressed is exposed to the sun to undergo fermentation; after which they decant it into a gourd; it is then fit for use, and they drink it on occasions to intoxication.

The too frequent use of this disgusting liquor causes loss of sight, and a sort of leprosy, which can only be cured by abstaining from it, and by bathing frequently in the water of the sea.

This leprosy turns their skin white: we saw several of the lepers, who were also blind, or nearly so.

The natives are also fond of smoking: the tobacco grows in the islands, but I believe it has been introduced from abroad.