POLYNESIAN RESEARCHESo 
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fibrous, and adhesive substance. The length and even¬ 
ness of the threads or fibres, the regular manner in 
which they cross each other at oblique angles 5 the 
extent of surface, and the thickness of the piece, corre¬ 
sponding with that of coarse cotton cloth 5 the singular 
manner in which the fibres are attached to each other—* 
cause this curious substance, woven in the loom of 
nature, to present to the eye a remarkable resemblance 
to cloth spun and woven by human ingenuity. 
This singular fibrous matting is sometimes taken off 
by the natives in pieces two or three feet wide, and used 
as wrapping for their arrow-root, or made up into bags. 
It is also occasionally employed in preparing articles 
of clothing. Jackets, coats, and even shirts, are made 
with the aa, though the coarsest linen cloth would be 
much more soft and flexible. To these shirts the natives 
generally fix a cotton collar and wristbands, and seem 
susceptible of but little irritation from its wiry texture 
and surface. It is a favourite dress with the fishermen, 
and others occupied on the sea. 
The fruit, however, is the most valuable part of this 
serviceable, hardy, and beautiful plant. The flowers 
are small and white, insignificant when compared 
with the size of the tree or the fruit. They are 
ranged along the sides of a tough, succulent, branch¬ 
ing stalk, surrounded by a sheath, which the natives call 
aroe^ and are fixed to the trunk of the ti*ee, immediately 
above the bottom of the leaf. Fruit in every stage, from 
the first formation after the falling of the blossom, to the 
hard, dry, ripe, and full-grown nut, that has almost be¬ 
gun to germinate, may be seen at one time on the same 
tree, and frequently fruit in several distinct stages on the 
same bunch, attached to the trunk of the same stalk. 
