54 VISITING COSTUME. [PART I. 



I am scarcely able to give any new particulars re- 

 garding the preparation of flax. I will only observe 

 that the introduction of blankets has greatly dimi- 

 nished the skill of the natives in preparing it ; and 

 that they work very little of that valuable article for 

 the purposes of trade, although a good flax-scraper 

 of either sex can clean as much as ten pounds weight 

 per diem. 



If a party of natives are travelling, they dress 

 themselves, just before arriving at their destination, 

 in their best clothes. A wooden comb (heru) is 

 used, in shape remarkably like some I have seen 

 which were brought from North America ; the 

 face and hands receive the unusual luxury of being 

 washed ; and the head is ornamented with the white 

 feathers of the albatross or gull, or, as a still 

 greater distinction, with the esteemed tail-feathers 

 of the uia (Neomorpha Gouldii). Sometimes the 

 face is painted with a red ochre (kokowai), or a 

 blue ochre (pukipoto). But this painting is used 

 chiefly at certain feasts, at funeral ceremonies, and 

 in their wars. The red ochre is also said to pre- 

 vent the mosquitoes and sand-flies from tormenting 

 the body. The hair is often greased with shark's 

 oil, or with an oil pressed from the seeds of the titoki 

 (Aledryon excelsum, belonging to the Sapindacese). 



The ears of both sexes are pierced, and this is done 

 at an early age. The native ornaments worn in the 

 ears are pieces of the ponamu (nephrite, or oriental 

 jade), which are called e tara ; the mako taniwa, or 



