208 FIBRES OF THE PINE-APPLE LEAVES. 



Chinese, (in company with Mr. Lorrain and the 

 Rev. Mr. Darrah,) situated in the vicinity of the 

 settlement, for the purpose of witnessing the 

 preparation of the fibres from the leaves of the 

 Ananas, or wild pine apple, which fibres, after 

 being prepared by a very simple process, 

 are exported to China, and used in the 

 manufacture of linens, &c. The Chinese, who 

 prepared the leaves before us, said, he got one 

 rupee and a half the catty for the fibre ; it was 

 in texture, when manufactured, very similar to 

 the New Zealand flax, of a fine quality, and there 

 is also some similarity in the manner in which it 

 is wrought. The leaves recently gathered (and 

 the longest and oldest are those which appear to 

 be selected for the purpose) are laid upon a 

 board, and the epidermis is removed by a broad 

 knife, not unlike in form to a shoemaker's paring 

 knife ; upon its removal from the upper surface 

 of the leaf, the long and beautiful fibres were 

 seen lying upon the lower and denser epidermis, 

 running in a longitudinal direction ; the fas- 

 ciculi of fibres were then readily detached 

 either by the hand or by being raised with the 

 broad knife. 



Some quantity of this material is annually 

 exported to China, and at Manilla a very deli- 

 cate and beautiful fabric is made from the fibres 



