718 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



of injuries inflicted by lier husband in a moment of blind rage over some 

 grievance, fancied or real. In this connection it may be mentioned that 

 subsecjuently this same woman went to nurse Pakomeo, previously men- 

 tioned, who was ill at the time. Upon the recovery, so well pleased 

 were they with each other that she abandoned her cruel spouse, remained 

 with Pakomeo, was living with him as his wife at the time of our visit, 

 and the arrangement seemed mutually satisfactory. 



The custom of tattooing has fallen off within the last few years and is 

 now rarely or never practiced. It is only among the adults, more cspe- 

 ciallj' among the older people, that good examples may be found. Unless 

 the inhabitants of other islands, where a standard pattern is adhered 

 to, the Kapa Nniis seem to have affected no uniform fashion nor limited 

 themselves to any particular style. The custom obtained alike among 

 the male and female members of the community. Generally speaking, 

 the ornamentation was as follows: A narrow band around the upper 

 l)art of the forehead, at the edge of the roots of the hair, with little 

 balls, each joined to the band by a stem, pendant from it, the whole 

 simulating a coronet; a line around the outer free edge, the helix, and 

 lobe of the ear; aline around the edge of the lips; the neck in its 

 entire circumference, either in straight lines, vertical or oblique, or with 

 the lines wavy; three radiating exclamation marks beneath each ear, 

 common among women at the present day; a girdle about the waist, 

 in broad bands, with an attempt at lacte work, or fringe, from which rise 

 heavy lines, at the ends of which, toward the axilbie, are fanciful figures 

 resembling faces, with a larger face in the middle of the back; fine lines 

 down the thighs anteriorly; heavy, undulating bands posteriorly, run- 

 ning over the buttocks toward the waist; wavy or straight perpendicular 

 lines, terminating in points, around the legs, and elsewhere. 



The material used in tattooing is madeof the soot obtained by burning 

 a plant with a leaf similar to our Indian corn, and called by the natives 

 ti, moistened with the expressed juice of a berry similar to our poke- 

 berry, and called poporo. Pieces of bone, finished like a fine-toothed 

 comb, or fish bones made fast to a short stick, are used to prick the skin 

 by holding in contact with the surface and striking it a brisk blow. 



Before the advent of the missionaries the Eapa ISTuiis possessed scant 

 wardrobes. They made a coarse cloth woven of the fibers of the inner 

 bark of the mahKti, Chinese i)aper mulberry, or of the hiirav, another 

 fibrous tree, which they wore about the shoulders and loins. This cloth 

 was also used, in the manner of a shield, as a protection in battle against 

 the ejiemy's spears, which latter was, with the exception of the war club, 

 their principal weapon, the head being made of obsidian, numbers of 

 which may be found on the island. Tliey also made siapu, or tapa, as 

 do the natives of other islands, by beating out the bark and wearing 

 the same as a breechcloth. With the coming of the missionaries civi- 

 lized clothing was introduced and is now generally worn,comprising coat, 

 shirt and trousers, among the men, and a loose gown of cotton mate- 



