79<5 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



leaf of this plant are strong, fine, and silky. A weaving-frame 

 on sticks a foot or so from the ground is used in making some of 

 these mats. Upon it is a weft of strings close together and drawn 

 tight ; the weft is double, passed under and over each yarn. A 

 bone beater is used. Even a common mat takes eighteen months 

 in making. All mats are ornamented with strings or tags : thus, 

 one was covered with long, cylindrical ornaments, looking like 

 porcupine-quills, hard, alternately yellow and black. These are 

 made of phormium-leaf epidermis rolled up. The Jcaitaka is a 

 peculiarly beautiful mat, soft and fine, plain except the border, 

 which is in some cases two feet deep, elaborately woven in Van- 

 dyked patterns of black, red, and white. War cloaks of chiefs are 



woven in much 

 the same way, 

 but hair is wov- 

 en in so that the 

 mat looks like a 

 skin. Such cost 

 four years' labor, 

 and no two are 

 alike. 



Out of such 

 plaiting as this 

 true weaving 

 grows. The only 

 difference be- 

 tween plaiting 

 and true weav- 

 ing is that the 

 splints or rib- 

 bons of the one 

 are replaced by 

 cords or threads. 

 The development 

 of the great looms of to-day has been often enough traced. A 

 good example of their beginnings is the very simple little wooden 

 cibohikan of our Sacs and Foxes. 



Some of the articles of dress made by savage and barbarous 

 peoples deserve notice. They are sometimes elegant in material 

 and beautiful in workmanship. No furrier can do better work 

 than does the Kaffir Jcaross-m&ker. 



A large Jcaross is worn fur inward. If made of several skins, 

 the heads are in a row along the upper margin. This is bent back 

 and falls outward as a cape. Jackal-skin is prized as thick and 

 soft, with rich black mottlings. That of the meerkat is also 

 valued. One kaross of thirty-six skins' was sewed very neatly ; 



Fig. 7. Monbutto Warriors with Dress of Urostigma Bark. 

 (Schweinfurth.) 



