DRESS AND BONNET MAKING. 401 
many were still without shoes and stockings, and 
that it would be quite ridiculous for the head to be 
covered with a bonnet after the fashion of the 
foreigners, while the feet, like those of the islanders 
in general, were without shoes. A short time 
afterwards, several of the natives of our island 
sailed over to Raiatea, and returned with very 
flattering accounts of the improved appearance of 
those who wore hats and bonnets. This induced 
in several of the chief women, who had at least one 
complete English dress, a desire to learn to make 
them, and ultimately to substitute the European 
bonnet for the native taumata. A visit which a 
number of chiefs and their wives, from Raiatea, 
paid to Huahine, increased their eagerness for this 
new article of dress—which, when once adopted, 
was never laid aside. 
The desire now became general, and was not 
confined to those who possessed other articles of 
foreign dress, it being extended even to such as 
had none. Thus, wearing a hat and bonnet was 
the first advance they made towards a more civilized 
appearance and dress. Our houses were now 
thronged by individuals anxious to be instructed ; 
and so soon as Mrs. Barff or Mrs. Ellis had 
taught any of the females, these immediately 
taught others; and those who excelled in the fine¬ 
ness of their platting, or in putting it together, 
were fully employed by the chiefs and others, and 
derived no small emolument from their new avo¬ 
cation. Dress making and straw-bonnet mak¬ 
ing, now profitable employments to a number of 
females, were certainly the first regular female 
occupations from civilized society being intro¬ 
duced into the islands. The hats and bonnets 
were at first made with the inner bark of the 
II. 2 D 
