316 dress. [1840. 



way down the thighs. The pareu is also worn, and the mis- 

 sionaries have prevailed upon the christian women to arrange 

 its folds so. as to cover their bodies as high as the neck, but 

 they do not like to conform to this new custom, and very 

 often disregard it. Neither sex wear a covering on their heads, 

 upon ordinary occasions, and the children are rarely incum- 

 bered with any clothing whatsoever; but the latter have their 

 hair cropped close, except a small lock over each ear, to keep 

 out the vermin. 



When the native warriors array themselves in their mar- 

 tial costumes and war-paint, and put on their richly orna- 

 mented mats, and their gay belts and turbans, they present 

 a most striking and picturesque appearance. A sight like 

 this was witnessed during the visit of the American Explor- 

 ing Squadron, which is thus described by Captain Wilkes in 

 his narrative : — " I was now surrounded by large numbers 

 of warriors, all grotesquely dressed and ready for the fight, 

 with clubs, spears, and muskets. In addition to the usual 

 tapa around their waist, they had yellow and straw-colored 

 ribands, made of the pandanus-leaves, tied around their arms 

 above the elbows, on their legs above and below the knees, 

 and on their bodies : some had them tied and gathered up in 

 knot-s ; others wore them as scarfs — some on the right shoulder, 

 some on the left, and others on both shoulders. Some of 

 these sashes were beautifully white, about three inches wide, 

 and quite pliable. Many of them had fanciful head-dresses, 

 some with natural and others with artificial flowers over their 

 turbans (called sala) ; and nearly all had their faces painted 

 in the most grotesque manner, with red, yellow, white, and 

 black stripes, crossing the face in all directions. Some were 

 seen with a jet black face and vermilion nose; others with 

 half the face painted white. When a body of some eight 

 hundred of these dark-looking, well-formed warriors, all eager 

 for the fight, and going to and fro to join their several com- 

 panies, is seen, it is hardly possible to describe the effect."* 



Beating tapa, and weaving mats >>( pandanus leaves, and 



* Narrative of the Exploring Expedition. Vol. III. p. ft. 



