List of Accessions. 33 



In the New Hebrides the yam is as much a staple food as the 

 kalo of the Hawaiians, and much labor is expended on the appa- 

 ratus for its preparation. The yam dish shown in Fig. 9 is of 

 average size and superior workmanship. The terminal handles 

 seem to be liked bj^ the New Hebrideans, as many of the other 

 dishes are so provided, as seen in Fig. 11. The pounders shown 

 in Fig. 10 are all tapering and more or less ornamented with carv- 

 ing. The dish is very heavy and the wood rather hard. It is 

 from the Kitia district of Santo, as the residents generally call 

 Espiritu vSanto (Australia del Kspiritu Santo as named by Quiros). 

 The island is 75x40 miles and rises to a height of 4000 feet. Like 

 most of the New Hebrideans the inhabitants were cannibals, and 

 some are still inclined that way. We have in the Museum tro- 

 phies of their cannibal feasts. 



Fig. II shows some types of dishes of curious form, clumsy 

 but not easily broken, more like a scoop than a dish; the last in 

 the row with a channel at the end as if for pouring gravy. The 

 numbers are in order, 11,518, 11,519, 11,520. The length of the 

 longest is 21.5 inches. 



A very interesting set of platters is shown in F'ig. 12. These 

 come to us labelled kava dishes and the patina on the wood sus- 

 tains the name, but their form is flat so that they could hardh* be 

 called saucers. Some, as 11,533 ^^<i 11.53O' have a handle at 

 opposite sides; one, 11,528, has a double handle at one end, and 

 the rest, 11,527, 11,532, 11,531 and 11,529, have to be content 

 with one only. The size of these plates can be seen by the scale 

 at the base of the group. 



The New Hebridean pottery has been noted through the sur- 

 rounding islands as a desired article of barter, and the latakias are 

 often heavily laden with the product of the Espiritu Santo kilns. 

 We have in this Museum several pots of good form and hard 

 material but none so elaborately decorated; the quality of strength 

 is, however, wanting in this bowl (Fig. 13). In the Etheridge 

 collection are several other examples, none that have apparentl}' 

 been tested by use. 



The two adzes from Paama are armed with portions of a shell, 

 apparenth- a large volute, and are numbered 11,667 3^"*^ 11,668. 

 The carving is of the same design in both, but one has two masks 



Occasional Papers B. P. B. M. Vol. VI, No. 2. — 3. 



[73] 



