














it to here were several exéelleat | spe 
al m ‘fibre howe amongst the St. Vincent exhibits. - 
Nores on the preparation of fibre from the -r of the Oil Palm 
(Elais guineensis 
^  Thei inner side of. the leaflets of the oil palm contains a fibre andit 
as fine and tenacious as human hair. This fibre is called Awshaw n by 
. the erben) Poaiü by the Kroos, and N'K'aw by the Aceras. ni 
used all along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea for making fishing ies 
a Its use is very similar to that of the Supa or Gri-gri p: alm CAstrocar 
m) fibre with which the Caribs of the island of St. Viso and be 
reef-fringed Honduras coast make their deep sea lines. 
~ In the preparation of this fibre a considerable amount of skill : 
shown. . 
The pinna of the young leaves which have not been vasis by 
exposure are the only ones that can be made use of. If too old, the 
fibre cannot be separated from the tissue, and if rion’ before 1 the 
s. have opened it has not sufficient strength to stand the 







The mid-rib of the leaflet to be worked is ae with ‘she than 
a nail for about six inches of its length as shown in the accompanying. 
s of specimens (Specimen A)*. 
"The pinna is then laid flat on the left fand with the smooth. face 
zona as shown in Specimen B. and in the following sketch. — 







x tan ci oinal leaf for 
ge -p I1 
t is next taken by the cleft end in the dgh hid. is lid over | 
er's s left thigh, and held below the fold in the left hand. 
same h E 
m car stripping the tissue from the fibre for. the length of 
about an inch (Specimen C.). — 
M ais is now ike fron left. to rignt by the t two. uci en 
&eroes the thigh. rein st which 2 is As Jd by the flattened left palm 
hi nserted between the flap. of tissue 
ting them by raisi 









