FEATHER WORK IN COOK'S VOYAGES. 



appearance, and we IouikI that tlie\- were in higli estimation with their owners, for they wonld not, at 

 first part with one of them for anything we offered, asking no less a price than a musket. However, 

 some were after^vard purchased for very large nails. Some of them as were of the best sort, were 

 scarce, and it would seem that they are only used on the occasion of some particular ceremony or 

 diversion, for the people who had them always made some gesticulations which we had seen u.sed 

 before by those who sung. 



"The cap is made almost exactly like a helmet, with the middle part, or crest, .sometimes of a 

 hand's breadth; and it fits verj^ close upon the head having notches to admit the ears. It is a frame 

 of twigs and osiers, covered with a net-work, into which are wrought feathers, in the same manner 

 as upon the cloaks, though rather closer and 

 less diversified; the greater part being red 

 with some black, j-ellow or green stripes on 

 the sides following the curve direction of the 

 crest. These probably complete the dress 

 with the cloaks, for the natives sometimes 

 appeared in both together. 



"We were at a loss to guess from 

 whence they could get such a quantity of these 

 beautiful feathers; but were soon informed as 

 to one sort for they afterward brought great 

 numbers of skins of small red birds [//rr?] for 

 sale, which were often tied up in bunches of 

 tw'ent}' or more, or had a small wooden 

 .skewer run through their nostrils. At the 

 first tho.se that were brought consisted only 

 of the skin from behind the nostrils forward, 

 but we afterward got many with the hind 

 part including the tail and feet. The first 

 however struck us at once with the origin of 

 the fable formerly adopted, of the birds of 

 paradi.se (Paradisca apoda) wanting legs; and 

 sufficiently explained that circum.stance. 

 Probably the people of the islands east of 

 the Moluccas, from whence the skins of the 

 birds of paradise are brought, cut off their 

 feet, for the very reason assigned liy the peo- 

 ple of Atooi [Kauai] for the like practice, 

 which was, that they hereby can preserve 

 them with greater ease, without losing any 



part of which they reckon valuable. The red bird of our island was judged In- Mr. Anderson to 

 be a species of merops, about the size of a sparrow; of a beautiful scarlet colour, with a black tail and 

 wings; and an arched bill twice the length of the head, which with the feet was also a beautiful red- 

 dish colour. The contents of the head were taken out, as in the birds of paradise, but it did not appear 

 that they used any other method to preserve them than by simple drying; for the skins, though moist, 

 had neither taste nor smell that could gi\'e room to suspect the use of anti-putrescent substances.' 



"They have another [dress] appropriated to their Chiefs, and used on ceremonious occasions, 

 consisting of a feathered cloak and helmet, which in point of beauty and magnificence, is perhaps 

 nearly equal to that of any nation in the world. As this dress has been already' described with great 

 accuracy and minuteness, I have onh' to add that these cloaks are made of different length in propor- 

 tion to the rank of the wearer, some of them reaching no lower than the middle, others trailing on the 

 ground. The inferior chiefs have also a short cloak, resembling the former, made of the long tail 

 feathers of the cock, the tropic and man-of-war birds, with a broad border of the small red and yellow 



iCook's I'oyagrs. Quarto Ed., 17S4, II., p. 206. 



fig. 2. hel.^iet t.vken to england bv v.\n- 

 couver: now in the bishop museum. 



