366 FOOD. DRESS. 



it, for the convenience of pressing it down with the foot.' 

 Their animal food consisted principally of fish and shell-fish, 

 and Captain Cook observed large shell-mounds near their 

 houses. They sometimes also, .though rarely, killed rails, 

 penguins, shags, and other birds. They obtained fire from 

 two pieces of wood, in the usual manner.* A New Zealand 

 stone adze is represented in figs. 82-84, p. 73. 



The only quadrupeds in the islands were dogs and rats. 

 They had no hogs, and the dogs were kept entirely for food. 

 It is remarkable that although in many ways so much farther 

 advanced in civilisation than the Nootka Columbians, and 

 although animal food was so much in demand, they seem to 

 have devised no way of killing the whales which frequented 

 their coasts. They were, however, skilful in fishing, having 

 excellent lines, hooks made of bone and shell, and very 

 large nets which were made of the leaves of a kind 

 of flax, split into strips of the proper breadth and tied 

 together. In making the lines the leaves are " scraped by 

 a shell, which removes the upper or green part, and leaves 

 the strong, white fibres, that run longitudinally along the 

 under side." f This kind of cordage has even been pre- 

 ferred to that made of European hemp. 



Of these leaves also they made most of their clothes, for 

 though acquainted with the manufacture of bark- cloth, it was 

 very scarce, and worn only as an ornament. The leaves were 

 split into three or four slips, which were interwoven into a 

 kind of stuff, something between netting and cloth. Dog's- 

 wool was also used for the same purpose. J The dress was 

 alike in both sexes, and consisted of two parts ; one piece of 

 their rude cloth (if so it may be called) was tied over the 

 shoulders and reached to the knees, being fastened in front 



* D'Urville, vol. ii., p. 479. 



f Fitzroy's Voyage of the Adventure and Beagle, vol. ii., p. 599. 



J D'Urville, vol. ii., p. 500. 



