Etbnogmphy of Micronesia. 65 



of whicli the most beautiful is the one braided of pandanus leaves. 

 The mats have various patterns of coloured materials braided in 

 them. Sometimes red worsted is used. The size of the mat shown 

 in PI. XXXI V, fig. 10, is 73 cm. square, but there are, of course, 

 various sizes. In making mats bone needles with eyes are used 

 for facilitating the passage of threads or strings (Fig- 24, a). 

 These mats are also found in Kusaie, thougli it is probable that 

 tliey are imported from the Marshall Islands. As stated in the 

 first section, they form tlio material for clothing (loin-cbth for both 

 men and women) in the same islands. According to Christian,^ 

 needles obtained from bone or shells are also employed in Ponapé 

 in braiding mats and thatching the roof. These needles were also 

 formerly used in making mat-sails, but he does not give any in- 

 formation about the shape, etc. Both in Jaluit and Ponapé mats 

 are made by women. 



In Jaluit, if we w^alk about the village in the evening, w^e 

 see people putting out their heads from the side of the house 

 which faces the road and talking intimately with those lying close 

 to the wall on the ground outside. This naturally strikes us as 

 an extraordinary sight, l^ut it is certainly not much different to 

 holding a conversation through an open window. 



Jabor in Jaluit has one of the best harbours in the Marshall 

 Islands, and the native houses are built together forming a village, 

 unlike the custom prevailing in the other islands. Half of these 

 houses stand facing the lagoon. 



1 F. W. ChristiîiQ, " The Caroline Islands," p. 132. 



