Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-08-29

feather cloak from the Sandwich Islands
that is spread out fan shaped In a case
in the National museum. This cloak is
computed 10 have cost In labor 81, 000,-
600. The native name for il is mans.
In the days when a Hawaiian beau or
belle wanted little clothing, but wanted
that gorgeously colored, this cloak or
mantle would have been considered Of
more value, esthetically and intrinsically,
than ship load of Worth costumes, and
its happy possessor might truly be said TO
be In high feather. Since the natives
have adopted wide trousers, lawn ten
mis- shirts and four-in-hand ties, its
value lies chiefly in the traditions
that surround it. The mantle, which
is semi-circular, is four feet long
or deep, and it is IL l-2 feet wide at the
bottom and 90 inches at the top where
1t goes around the neck. The entire outer
surface is made of feathers of fine tex
ture, giving the whole the appearance of
plush. The prevailing colors are red and
yellow or orange. The body is decorated
with large figures, crescent shaped, Of
either red or yellow feathers. The upper
and lateral borders are corded and dec
GRATED with alternate tufts of red, black
and yellow feathers.
A legend on label states that this
feather cloak formerly belonged TO Ke-
huarkalani. one of tie highest chiefs of
the Sandwich Islands Alter the aboli-
ton of idolatry in 1915 hat chief re-
belled against the reigniug king and at
tempted TO re-establish tie ancient reli-
gions. A sanguinary bate was fought.
and Kehuarkalani was slain, and this
cloak, which he then had On, fell into
the hands Of the conquerors and thus
became the property Of King Kameha-
meha, by whom it was presented 10 Capt.
]. Ii. Aulick, U. S. ~, in ls4l. The
cloak is now the property Of Capt. Au-
lick's grandson, Richmond Ogstcn Au-
lick, who deposited it in the National
museum. The great value of the cloak
is due to the long time required to secure
the feathers that compose it and to man.
ufacture the cloak.
The foundation is n net work of olona,
or native hemp, and 10 ii are attached by
fine thread Of the same material the
feathers Of birds found only IN the Ha-
waiian Islands, and very rare there. Re-
cent writers have declared that the bird
is now extinct. The feathers are woven
in so as to lap each other and lie fiat,
forming a smooth, plush like sur
face. The inner surface is without lin
ing and shows the olona net work and
the quill ends of the feathers. The cord
OF the upper margin is prolonged so as to
serve as fastening at the throat. The
yellow feathers are obtained from the 90
or Uho, and, as stated, are Of great value,
as the bird is rare, very shy and difficult
TO capture, and il has but very small
tuft Of these feathers upon each shoul-
der. The black feathers are from the
head and back Of the same bird-its gen.
eral plumage being glossy black. The
% is caught alive by means of bird lime;
the yellow feathers are then plucked and
the bird released. The red feathers are
from the body and neck of the Drepanis
CoccInea, the most abundant bird Of the
Sandwich Islands.
The Hawaiian Spectator, newspaper
published in 1889. refers TO this, or a
similar mantle, as follows: "kawkeauli
has the mans, or feather war cloak of
his father, Te.Meha- Meha. 1t was not
completed until his reign, having occu-
pied eight preceding ones in its fabrica.
tion. A piece of uankeeu, valued at
$l.j0, was formerly the price of five Of
| the yellow feathers. BY this estimate
the value of the cloak would equal that
of the purest diamonds in several of the
European regalia, and, including the
price of the feathers, not less than a
| million dollars worth of labor was ex-
pended upon it at the present rate Of
computing wages"
a bunch Of the yellow feathers called
hulu was received by the king from his
subjects in payment of poll tax, and it
required many years TO collect the ma
terial and manufacture one of these man
ties. Until recent years these mantles
were the royal robes Of state and consid-
cred the principal treasures Of the crown;
but European clothing has entirely su-
perseded them and they are not now
manufactured. \ beautiful headdress
for women, called leis. was MAIDS Of
these feathers.
Another authority states that two yell
low feathers only are obtained from each
90, and these are found under the wings.
When the much priced feathers are
plucked the bird is set at libertu The
price Of the feathers according 10 this
authority, was $3.50 for three, and the
time occupied in making the cloak was
estimated from fifty to one hundred
years. Washington Star.