96 
MISSIONARY TOUR 
thing like dimity. There are other kinds, very thick 
and tough, which look like wash-leather; but the most 
common sort is the pau, worn round the waists of the 
females. To make this, a piece of bark is beaten till 
it is four yards long, and more than a yard wide, and 
of an equal texture throughout. Sometimes two or 
three pieces of bark are necessary to make one piece 
of cloth. Five of these pieces, when finished, are 
spread out one upon the other, and fastened together 
at one end. These five pieces make only one pau. 
The inside pieces are usually white, or yellow; but 
the outside piece is always stained, or painted, with 
vegetable dyes of various colours. No gum is used in 
the manufacture of the pau, except that contained in 
the bark, yet the fibres adhere firmly together. Those 
painted red or yellow, &c. are sometimes rubbed over 
with a vegetable oil, in which chips of sandal wood, 
or the seeds of the pandanus odorotissima, have been 
steeped. This is designed to perfume the cloth, and 
render it impervious to wet; it is, however, less dura¬ 
ble than the common paii. 
There is another kind of cloth, called tapa moe, 
(sleeping cloth,) made principally for the chiefs, who 
use it to wrap themselves in at night, while they sleep. 
It is generally three or four yards square, very thick, 
being formed of several layers of common tapa, cement¬ 
ed with gum, and beaten with a grooved mallet till 
they are closely interwoven. The colour is various, 
either white, yellow, brown, or black, according to the 
fancy of its owner. Nearly resembling the tapa moe 
is the kihei, only it is both thinner and smaller. It is 
made in the same manner, and is about the size of a 
large shawl, or counterpane. Sometimes it is brown. 
