⁵ Other sources of information (Heyerdahl, Vol. 1, pp. 30, 525) also point to the introduction of the coconut, but suggest that this palm was exterminated shortly before the arrival of Capt. Cook ...

Bananas and other plants that could not withstand the strong blast of the sea were grown in sunken gardens. Métraux (1957, p. 65) says that 'The future harvests were preserved from theft, and even from the impatience of greed of their owners, by a tabu pronounced by the king himself or by some priest of the royal line.'

Chicken, pigs, and dogs were undoubtedly brought but only the chickens survived the journey. Black rats also were introduced and were regarded as a delicacy.

Fishing was important in the past. Thomson (1889) mentions bonito, albacore, ray, dolphins, porpoise, swordfísh, shark, rockfish, eels, turtles, crayfish and shellfish. Métraux (1957) speaks of tunny, and women and girls making daily visits to the beaches to gather seaurchins, crabs, and seaslugs. He also says (Ibid., p. 67) that, 'In ancient times fish were the object of a tabu during all the months of the southern winter.' It occurs to me that this might partly explain the cannibalism that was prevalent since Métraux (1957, p. 103) says, 'cannibalism was not exclusively a religious rite or the expression of an urge for revenge; it was also induced by a simple liking for human flesh that could impel a man to kill for no other reason than his desire for fresh meat.'

Food was cooked in a pit-oven. This typical Polynesian method of cooking results in succulent food. Métraux (1957, p. 72) points out that although it is hard to determine the proportion of each foodstuff in the daily menu, nevertheless 'The diet of the ancient Easter Islanders seems to have been very well balanced and not to have been lacking in any element essential to health.'... (Heyerdahl 4)