IVearn'ug of Grass. 



85 



gathered into vertical rods and horizontal coils, these two elements forming a trellis 

 not interwoven but the vertical rods are all outside and the horizontal rings all inside; 

 over this trellis runs a sewing strip in four colors, straw, chocolate, white and yellow 

 These various colored strips seem to be split straw, but I have not definite knowledge 

 of them or of the dyes used. The ornamental bands are shown in the plate, the dark 

 is always chocolate; the interior of the upper band is half straws and half M'hite, of the 

 lower band, j-ellow. The vertical rods are closed in at the rim by a braid which con- 

 ceals the ends. The interior is rough where the ends show : there is no handle nor cover. 



Solomon Islands Grass "Work. — Although authors 



have stated that the beautiful braids of black, red and yellow 

 material that the Solomon Islanders are so fond of using 

 to adorn their choice spears, clubs and, in ciirious company, 

 their combs, was from the stem of a species of fern i^Glei- 

 chenia)^'' it now seems settled that it is a grass, species 

 unknown, that is used. We have in the Bishop Museum 

 a parcel (No. 8287) of the dyed grass used in this work 

 brought from Bougainville by oiir colleftor. The native 

 name is latilc^ and it seems to have a semi-sacred nature 

 for it is used to form amulets, and perhaps hence its appro- 

 priate use in choice spears and clubs. It is said to be dyed 

 with lime and the root of a certain tree {^Moriiida f). The 

 dyed grass averages 27 inches long, and the leaves on stem 

 split feadil}^ showing a considerable rough fibre beneath 

 the smooth surface. 



Although the clubs and spears show a great deal of fine 

 work, I am inclined to give the palm to a comb in this 

 Museum, No. 1941, shown in Fig. 85. This is made of the 

 usual palm splints (not whalebone as mentioned by some authors), and of a form well 

 known in colle6lions. This particular specimen was colleAed on Bougainville fifty 

 years ago and is 7.5 in. long. The design is alike on both sides, biit in the narrow 

 portion of the handle the colors yellow and black are reversed on the side not 

 figured. The two bars of the lower portion are red embroidered with yellow. The 

 braid at the base and around the upper and middle portion is brown. The illustration 

 unfortunately can give no adequate idea of the color and the beautifully exact and 

 appropriate design. Another specimen (No. 6329) is smaller (6 in.), and although 

 made on a plan similar to the preceding shows signs of deterioration in the work- 

 manship: it was colleAed in 1903. 



"Ling Roth, Spears and other articles from the Solomon Ids. Archives Intern. d'Ethnologie, xi, 154. 



Pig. 85. COMB OV PALM WOOD 

 AND GRASS BRAID. 



