Beating Mast. 



35 



on this the strips of masi are beaten ^vith an iki or mallet, about two inches square, 

 and grooved longitudinally on three of its sides. Two lengths of the wet masi are 

 generally beaten together, in order to secure greater strength ; the gluten which they 

 contain being sufficient to keep their fibres united. A two inch strip can thus be 



'Sio. i,v AN OLD Fijian with sula. 



beaten out to the width of a foot and a half; but the length is at the same time 

 reduced. The pieces are neatly lapped together with the starch of the taro, or 

 arrowroot boiled whole, and thus reach a length of man}^ yards. I measured a dress 

 intended for a king on a festive daj', and found its length to be one hundred and 

 eighty yards. The "widths" are also joined by the same means laterally, so as to 



