The OTAHEITE DOG.
The modern diſcoveries in the South Seas, which have been ſo accurately reported by that celebrated navigator, Captain Cook, have, with a new track for ſpeculation, opened a new field for obſervation; and the productions of theſe iſles have been sought after with as much curioſity and impatience by ſome, as a buried vaſe from Herculaneum, or the remains of the Capitol by others. Under this perſuaſion of the pleaſure of novelty, we preſent our readers with a portrait of an Otaheitean Dog; which, as an animal of infinite importance, as an article of luxury with theſe people, may deſerve ſome notice from us.
The Otaheite Dog is about the ſize of our large ſpaniels, and nearly reſembles them in appearance; the head is rather longer and deeper, or flatter perpendicularly; the ears are erect like the wolf's; the limbs appear rather larger; the colour, for the moſt part, white, with lively brown ſpots or blotches.
The eſtimation of things in general depend much upon their abundance or ſcarcity; and with an Otaheitean, whoſe quadrupeds are but two, it will not excite much ſurpriſe, that theſe are attended to with ſome anxiety, particularly ſo, when the pleaſure of the palate is concerned; this is an influence to which the moſt ſavage nations pay reſpect.
To give ſome idea of the importance of a dog in the South Seas, we ſhall preſent the report of Captain Cook on this particular, as given in his firſt voyage: "We all agreed that a South Sea Dog was little inferior to an Engliſh lamb; this excellence is probably owing to their being kept up, and fed wholly upon vegetables." Thus much as evidence of their delicacy; the manner of cooking this dainty ſhall cloſe our account. Of one preſented to the Captain, we read, "the dog was killed by holding the hands cloſe over his mouth and noſe; an operation which continued about a quarter of an hour: while this was doing, a hole was made in the ground about a foot deep, in which a fire was kindled, and ſome ſmall ſtones placed in layers, alternately with the wood, to heat; the dog was then ſinged by holding him over the fire, and, by ſcraping him with a ſhell, the hair taken off as clean as if he had been ſcalded in hot water; he was then cut up with the ſame inſtrument, and his entrails, being taken out, were ſent to the ſea, where, being carefully waſhed, they were put into cocoa-nut ſhells, with what blood had come from the body. When the hole was ſufficiently heated, the fire was taken out, and ſome of the ſtones, which were not ſo hot as to diſcolour any thing that they touched, being placed at the bottom, were covered with green leaves; the dog, with the entrails, was then placed upon the leaves, and other leaves being placed upon them, the whole was covered with the reſt of the hot ſtones, and the mouth of the hole cloſe ſtopped with mould; in ſomewhat leſs than four hours it was again opened, and the dog was taken out excellently baked, and we all agreed that he made a very good diſh."
"The dogs which are here bred to be eaten taſte no animal food, but are kept wholly upon bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, yams, and other vegetables of the like kind."
