CHAPTER VII. 



A CATALOGUE OF THE KAPA STUDIED. 



Earliest among the extant colleAions of Bark-clotii we must place the curi- 

 ous one already referred to (p. 21), compiled from the Cook collecftions in book form, of 

 which several copies differing slightly in size and arrangement of specimens are known. 

 Beginning with this quaint little volume, we will continue with another colledlion of 

 the famous voyager's kapa of larger size and far better preservation, but without 

 descriptions, date or name of editor: it is, however, perhaps the choicest of all. Next 

 is the author's private colledlion containing, besides many specimens which will be 

 described with those in the Bishop Museum, kapa gathered in visits to many muse- 

 ums, and sent by correspondents who desired to make the knowledge of bark-cloth 

 manufadlure more complete. Finally come the abundant colledlions of this Museum 

 largely consisting of complete Kapa vioe^pd^ii^ malo and kihei^ or, in other cases folds 

 of cloth unappropriated to any special use. This Museum colle6lion includes the 

 choice kapa of the Kamehameha family to which has been added by gift or purchase 

 until it undoubtedly ranks first in size and value. 



All the other collections mentioned consist entirelj- or in great part of speci- 

 mens not exceeding in the main the convenient size of six by nine inches. When the 

 imprinted pattern requires it of course this limit must be over-stepped, but the smaller 

 size is better suited for study or comparison. It may be added here that the preserva- 

 tion of volumes of bound specimens of kapa must be carefully watched, at least in this 

 climate, for the kapa tissue is very attra(5live to the paper-eating beetles. 



1. New Amsterdam (Tasman's name for Tongatabu). A thin cloth printed brown 



with the upete^ showing pattern on both sides (Figs. 17-18, pp. 40-41), "and made 

 to resist rain, b}^ being smeared over with the juice of a glutenous {sic) herb 

 or plant." 



2. Otaheite [Tahiti]. Thin, tough, white; beat is hoopai very fine. "This is used 



to spread below the chiefs while at dinner under the trees." 



3. Sandwich I. [Hawaii]. Coarse fibre, mole, painted with irregular stripes of black 



crossed by others of red at an angle of 45°, both series in pairs. "This was no 

 larger than a common cloth; the dyes are mattie ficeus [not so, but red ochre], 

 and burnt cocoa-nut, mixed with the oil of the same." 



4. Hawaii. A small bit of thick mole, with the figures as shown in PI. W, i. 



4. Hawaii. Mamaki hoopai "and very strong. It resists water pretty well." Dyed 



a reddish brown. 



6. Tahiti. Thick, white and felt-like; in two laj'ers not well united. "Used for 



bedding." (231) 



