Saiiwaii Baskets. . 39 



2174. Base 5.7 in. round; 4.7 in higli ; three colored bands on the body. 

 2177. Base 6 in. round; 5.5 in. high; rather coarse work. 



5190. Base 6 in. round; 3.5 in. high; a green band. 



5191. Base 5.7X4.5 in., elliptical; 2.5 in. high; the ornaments and band of red and 

 brown fan (hibiscus) fibre; for ornament portions of the foundation coil are simpl3- 

 wound with the strip and not bound to adjacent coils; handle twilled with red fan 

 and fala. 



8192. 6.2X5.5 i"-! elliptical; height 3.5 in.; two bands of purple fan on the body. 



8193. Base 5.7X5.2 in., elliptical; height 3.5 in.; two bands of red fau on the body. 



The last four are quite modern and were given to the Museum by Lieutenant 

 W. E. Safford. 



The redlangular baskets are of very different stru6lure from the preceding. The 

 coil is replaced by the plain plaited pandanus, and like the round baskets they bear in 

 Samoa the common name of a/o. The illustration shows both the form, the peculiar 

 inturned edge, and the attractive decoration, but it does not show the double walls found 

 in all of them. The strips are %. in. on the inner basket and edges, but on the exterior 

 are much smaller. By the use of black strips a great variety- of patterns is shown, but 

 the black has a tendency to fade to a dull red. The sizes are as follow: — 



2175. Base 10X5.5 i"-; height 4 in.; divided into two unequal compartments. 



2176. 11.2X5-5 ^"m height 3.5 in.; divided in middle. 



3566. Base 7.5X4-5 ill-; height 3.7 in. 



3567. Base 7X4 in.; height 3.2 in. 



6734. Base 5.7 in. Q; height 3.5 in. 



6735. Base 7X4.2 in.; height 3.5 in. 

 7949. Base 6.2 in. D ; height 3.5 in. 



3564. A satchel of similar work and with a flap. 



Before leaving the Samoan basketry we may glance at the testimony of several 

 writers as to the methods used by the old Samoans, for they will not fail to throw some 

 light upon the work in similar lines of their relatives on the other groups. It is also 

 interesting to know that in Samoa the basket obtained a sort of vicarious divinity, for 

 on Hawaii a number of gods {e.g., Kukailimoku) were constrndled of wickerwork, 

 either plain or covered with feathers. Quoting the Reverend Dr. Tiirner', "Ga'e fefe 

 was a war-god in some of the villages, and seen in a coconut leaf basket. It is said 

 that in a battle between the gods of Samoa and those of Tonga the former crouched 

 about the trunks of the coconut trees ; but Ga'e fefe hid in a coconut leaf basket and 

 escaped while many others were killed. Hence the basket became a sign of the god, 



' Samoa a Hundred Years Ago and Long Before, p. 32. London, 1884. 



