298 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
bones, which being rugged on the edges, and 
barbed towards the point, is very destructive in a 
dexterous hand. Some of the natives of the 
Palliser Islands used the ihi, javelin or short spear, 
while fighting at a distance, and the South Sea 
Islanders use the tiora , a polished dart about three 
feet long, cast from the hand generally in their 
naval engagements, but occasionally on land. 
The paro, or large mother-of-pearl oyster shell, 
was also used in cutting the throats, or severing 
the head from the bodies, of those who were over¬ 
come. 
The dress and ornaments of the warriors of 
Tahiti, and the adjacent islands, were singular, 
and unlike those of most savage nations, being often 
remarkably cumbersome. Their helmets, though 
less elegant and imposing than the fine Grecian- 
formed helmet of the Hawaiians, were adapted 
to produce considerable effect. Some of the 
Tahitians wore only a fillet or bandage round the 
temples, but many had a quantity of cloth bound 
round in the form of a high turban, which not 
only tended to increase their apparent stature, 
but broke the force of a blow from a club, or a 
thrust from a spear. 
The most elegant head-dresses, however, were 
those worn by the inhabitants of the Austral 
Islands, Tubuai, Rurutu, &c. Their helmets were 
considerably diversified in form, some resembling 
a tight round cap, fitted closely to the head, with a 
light plume waving on the summit. Those used 
by the natives of Tubuai, and High Island, re¬ 
sembled an officer's cocked hat, worn with the 
ends projecting over each shoulder, the front beau¬ 
tifully ornamented with the green and red wing 
and tail feathers of a species of paroquet. The 
