26 t^a Hana I'Capa. 



In the years 1796-98 a vo^-age was uudertakeii doubtless at the inspiration of 

 the description of the interesting inhabitants of Tahiti in Cook's voyages. It was 

 undertaken in the ship jQ/c//' under command of Captain James ^\'ils()n, and is known 

 as the "Missionary \'ovage" an expedition witli far different motives from any of its 

 predecessors. From this I shall quote some additional information gathered by a 

 committee of the Loudon IMissionar^- Societj-, iindei whose authority this exploring 

 voyage was made. On page 3S9 of this very interesting voyage, in the list of trees 

 and shrubs, we find : — 



"YouTE, the morns pap^-rifera, the cloth-plant, or Chinese paper mulberry ; 

 there are two kinds in use, the one called IMverre, the other PooROW. This they 

 carefulU' cultivate, fencing the plantations with a ditch, to prevent the hogs and goats 

 from having access to them, especially the latter, which do much mischief by barking 

 them, and are therefore tied up or driven into the mountains. The plants of this tree 

 shoot up like osiers, and when about ten or twelve feet in height, and three inches in 

 circumference, they are cut down and carefully stripped of their bark : of this their 

 finest white cloth is made. The rind being taken off, is carried to the water, the outer 

 cuticle scraped off carefully, and well washed, till the sap and slime are separated 

 from it; they wrap this in plantain leaves, and leave it for three daj-s to digest, by 

 which time it becomes clamiu}- and fit for working into cloth. The bark is next 

 si:)read of a regular thickness on the beam where it is to be beaten, about eight inches 

 wide, and they begin with the grooved beetle to spread it out to a proper breadth and 

 equal thickness in every part. A number of plantain leaves are laid on the ground, 

 and on the.se the cloth is spread to bleach in the early morning dew for several days, 

 removing it as the sun grows high: when perfectly bleached, it is dried, and rolled up 

 in bundles for use. This cloth is called hooboo and parrawye: if they wish it to be 

 clouded, they break the outer bark with a stone, and wrap the sticks in leaves for tliree 

 or four days before they bark them. 



"They mix also the inner bark of the tender branches of the bread-fruit tree 

 with the cloth-plant, and prepare it in the same manner. If a chief, or man of 

 property, has cloth to be made, he sends the mulberr3'-plants in bundles to his tenants, 

 and the}' mix them with the bread fruit branches, and bring home the cloth when 

 prepared. If he needs a piece of very large dimensions, he tells them when he shall 

 set about it : on this day the women of the district assemble with their beetles, each 

 bringing a quantity of materials; and the ground being covered with plantain-leaves, 

 they place their work in a line, and set to it all together, beating time to a song given 

 out b}- one of their princijDal helpers; and when they strike up, make a vast noise, 



