302 POLYNESIAN R.I SEARCHES. 
factory. The derangement of the machinery sus¬ 
pending the work of the spinners, some of them 
requested to take the cotton home, to prepare and 
spin at their own houses. The experiment has 
succeeded beyond what was anticipated, and the 
natives now bring to the factory for sale the cotton- 
yarn spun at their own dwellings, and ready for 
the loom. 
This circumstance, though insignificant, is in¬ 
teresting and important. The natives are now 
convinced that they can make cloth; others, be¬ 
sides those taught in the factory, we may expect 
will desire to learn ; and as they can prepare and 
spin the cotton at their own dwellings, this employ¬ 
ment, which is certainly adapted to their climate 
and habits, as they can take it up and lay it down 
at their convenience, will probably be very exten¬ 
sively followed through the islands. The native 
carpenters will be able to make looms, as they 
have made turning-lathes, which, though rude, 
will be such as to answer their purpose. The 
spinning-wheel will also become an article of fur¬ 
niture in their houses; and the father, the brother, 
and the son, will have the satisfaction of wearing 
native or home-spun garments, made with cotton 
grown in their own gardens or plantations, and 
spun by their wives' or sisters' or daughters’ hands. 
The Tahitian, like the Indian weaver, may, per¬ 
haps, at some future day, be seen fixing his rude 
and simple loom under the shadow of the cocoa- 
nut or the banana tree, whilst the objects that 
often give such a charm to rural village scenery, 
and awaken so many ideas of contentment and 
happy simplicity in connexion with the peasantry 
of England, may be witnessed throughout the 
South Sea Islands. At any rate, there is reason 
