The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-10-05
Panama Hats.

In lower Peru grows the bombonaxa,
or hat straw, resembling as to form a tuft
of marsh reeds. The color is a delicate
green The hats called Panama hats, and
made from the bOmbOnaxa, have received
the name they bear from having first been
imported from Panama into the United
States. In truth, however, the bombo-
naXa hats are exported from nearly the
whole South American coast. Certain
classes of Indians devote themselves eX-
clusiyely TO the making of the hats. The
process is a very long one, and this is one
reason why the price of these hats is SO
high. The minute, delicate labor is long
er or shorter according TO the qualtS, for
whilst common articles demand scarcely
more than two or three days, those of the
best description require entire months Of
care and attention. The leaves of the
bOmbOnaXa TO be fit to be used, are gath
cred before their complete development.
They are stepped in hot water unil they
become white. When this operation is
terminated, each plant is separately dried
in a chamber where high temperature
is kept up. The bombonaXa is then
bleached for two or three davs. The
straw thus prepared is despatched 10 all
the places where the inhabitants occupy
themselves with plating hats; and the
Indians OF Peru employ the straw not
only for hats, but also in making those
delicious little cigar cases, which are of
ten sold for 81 or SO each.
When an Indian has made a dozen or
SO of these hats, he sets out for the resi- o.
dence of dealer in the article, and gem
orally arrives in the evening. Nothing
is more curious than TO see the cunning
Indian, his merchandise hid under the
folds Of his pOnchO, advancing toward
the house Of the supposed purchaser,
waiting without stirring, and looking at
the door in silence. When the dealer ex-
amines a hat which the Indian has shown
him, the latter asks an enormous price,
which is generally three times the value
of the article, and when after long dis
cussion he at last derides 10 conclude a
bargain, one sees him examining with
distrust the money which he has receiv-
ed, and rubbing il in order to try whether
it is good.
Ifthe sellers Of the hats are 20 the mum
bcr of two or three he who concludes the
bargain passes TO the others the sum
paid, in order that they may also see
whether il is honest money II the
money pleases them, the first man draws
from his incXhaustible pOncho a second,
a third or twentieth hat as the coniuror
draws every variety Of articles from a
hat, and for each Of the Panamas the
same scene Of distrust is renewed for the
veritication Of the money. We can casi-
ly understand the slowness which re-
suits from this mode of sale. II il dini-
cult 10 buy more than twenty hats a day,
even in giving the best price. Thus, in
order TO collect 1000 hats representing
a value Of $1,000 a sOjOurn Of three or
! four months in the country is required
aud a. transactions with savages, such as
| those iu lower Peru, are difficult. dealers
are Obliged 10 carry about with them
both the money aud the merchandise
| Notwithstanding these difficulties, the
trade in hats is one Of the surest and
most lucrative in the land
Hith rto the high prlce Of the Panama
| hats has hindcrod their transportation
into Europe aud as the average price of
| the hat has fallen 10 about Cl. they are
now within the reach Of nearly every
one. The Pauamas are distinguished
from all other hats in being a single piece
maryellously light and Of incompatible
I elasticity They can be rolled mp and
/ put in the pocket without any danger oI
being broken. la rainy weather they be-
/ come black, but they recover their natura
color when stepped in soap water.
What constitutes and maintains th,
reputation Of the Panama bat is tina
neither heat nor insects, which dcyou
/ everything under the torrid sun Of th,
equator, can alter the bombonaxa straw
] In The long run nothing but humidity can