1787. a narrow border of red! and yellow feathers, the reft being covered
September. f^tkerA of the tropic and man of war bird.
Nor are thefe caps and cloaks, though confeffedly elegant in a
Superior degree, the only proofs of invention and ingenuity fliewn
by thefe people in matters of ornament. Their mats are made
with a degree of neatnefs equal to any of European manufacture,
and prettily diverfified with a variety of figures drained with red.
Thofe ufed to deep on are plain, and o f a coarfer kind, but made
with an equal degree of neatnefs and -regularity.
Cloth is another article which gives thefe Indians equal leope
for fancy and invention. It is made from the Chinefe paper mulberry
tree, and when wet, (being of a foft, malleable fubftance) is
beat out with fin all fquare pieces of wood, to from twelve to
eighteen inches wide, and afterwards ftamped with various colours
and a diverfity of patterns, the neatnefs and elegance of which
would not difgrace the window of a London linen-draper.
How this cloth is ftamped I never could learn; the different colours
are extracted from vegetables found in the woods. There
is'another kind of cloth much finer than the above, and beat out
to a greater extent: it is of a white colour, and frequently wore
by the Aree women, in addition to the ahou. Fans and fly-flaps
.are ufed by both fexes.
The fans are ufually made of the cocoa-nut fibres, neatly wove;
the Mounting is of a fquare form, and the handle frequently decorated
with hair. The fly-flaps are very curious; the handles
are decorated with alternate pieces o f wood and bone, which at a
diftance
diftance has the appearance of’ finiered work; the upper part or 1787.
flap is the feathers of the man of war biro,
Fifli-hooks are made of the. pearl oyfter-fliell, and fo contrived,
as to ferve for both hook and bait. Thofe intended for fharks are
eonfiderably larger, and made of wood.
Befides the variety of fiftiing-lines already mentioned, they
have various other kinds of .cordage, and made of different materials.
The worft forts were found ufeful in rounding our
cables ; that of a better kind was appropriated to other purpofes ;
and the fifhing-lines made excellent tackle-falls, top-gallant haul-
yards, &c. I have already taken notice of the balkets we faw at
Owhyhee: at the fame .place we faw ,fome fquare pillows, made
nearly of the fame materials as the mats, and which I am informed
refemble thofe ufed in China.
Nets are made here with great ingenuity, and very large. I
cannot inform thee, what ufe they make of them, but they certainly
are not altogether for ornament.
The form of their gourds or calabafhes is fo very various, that
they certainly make ufe of art to give them different fhapes.
Some are of a globular form, with a long narrow neck, like a
bottle; others are tall and circular, but of equal width from top
to bottom. Others again, though narrower towards the mouth,
yet are fufikiently wide to admit the hand: many of thefe are
v e r y prettily :ftained in undulated lines, which at a diftance appear
like paint.
M m What