24 I^^if HiDia I\apa. 



this instrument is furrowed longitudinally by close grooves of different dimensions, 

 and tlie side which has the coarsest grooves is applied first in beating gradiuilly ; the 

 finer ones are used till the last operation, the cloth is reckoned fit for use; this beat- 

 ing joins the fibres so close together that the whole being drv, is really of good con- 

 sistence; though the least moisture seems to dissolve the whole texture. Some pieces 

 of the best sort of bark are beaten more than the common, which makes the cloth fine 

 and extremel}' soft, not much unlike our muslin. During the beating they constanth' 

 sprinkle the stuff with water which stands near them in cups of the coco-nut shells: 

 after this operation the cloth is bleached and washed, to make it whiter and softer: 

 sometimes they make of such soft and fine cloth, called in Taheiteo, Habos, several 

 large layers which they join by a kind of glue, prepared from the root of the Tacca 

 pinnatifida : these layers are again consolidated b}- beating again, rubbed, washed and 

 softened, which operation makes it downj^, smooth, and warm. 



"The bread-fruit tree yields likewise a material for cloth. The natives plant the 

 young shoots, as the mulberr3--tree, the bark is stripped off, soaked, scraped, laid out, 

 and beaten in the same manner; and the cloth it affords is somewhat coarser, and 

 called Tobeiro. A fig-tree, called Eaouwa, nearh- related to the Ficus indica, and 

 another kind, called by us Ficus aspera, is likewise employed for making a species of 

 cloth from its bark, which is always brown or cinnamon colour; this cloth they call 

 Ora; and the way of manufacturing it is not different from the method described 

 before. As this cloth resists water more than the other two sorts, it is in recjuest, and 

 chiefly worn by the people of quality, after being previously perfumed; not only the 

 difference of materials, but also the destination and colour causes various difference 

 in the cloth. In general everj- kind of cloth is called Ahou; but a garment, chiefl}^ 

 of the sort called Naboo, intended for the women, is named Paroovai. If in the middle 

 of a piece about six feet in length a longitudinal hole is cut, the natives call this dress 

 Seepoote. It is a verj- common garment for both sexes, who put the head through the 

 hole, and suffer it either to hang close upon both sides below the knees, or then inclose 

 it by another piece of cloth coming up almost to the breast, and serving instead of a 

 wrapper. Pieces of cloth are used b}- both sexes, as a sash, which covers their 

 nudities. That which is worn by the men thej' call IMaro; that by the women, Pareos. 

 Red cloth is called Ewha-ais: the yellow kind named Haepae. There is a yellow- 

 cloth on which they make red figures, b^- dipping a bamboo reed in red dye, and 

 stamping it iipon the cloth : this is known by the name Apa, the sort which is not 

 only brown but covered with a kind of varnish or gummosit}' the}- call Poowhirree; 

 their d3'es are ver}- fine and bright, and woiild deserve more attention if the}- were 

 lasting. The red d3-e requires a good deal of labour and care in preparing it. The 



