The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-31
THE MORNING NEWS: TUESDAY, MARCH 81. 1891.
Not a single suit can be found in the Islands

Not single suit can be found in the islands
to-day.
FULL DRESS.
On ceremonial or other special occasions q
rl1lan OF rank wear q dress made Of mas,
winch Is the leaf of the young banana
plant, heated over fire, when it becomes
thin, transparent and as impervious TO
water as oiled silk. Being joined together
TO a strip, often 800 feet long, il is wound
around the loins and the rest passed under
the legs and tucked into the belt, 80 as to
hang below the knees in front and to fall
as low as possible behind. When dressed in
this garment a Fijian has the appearance of
an inflated balloon. The Sturgis collection
contains a remarkably fine specimen OF this
ndSi dress, it having been brought from
FIJI In 1853 by the captain Of a whaling
vessel.
Different cases contain, among any num-
Der OF other most interesting curiosities, an
odd-looking set Of reed pipes made from
cane, and which came from New ireland ::
decorated pottery from FIJI, orDamented
with patterns of flowers. leaves and fruit; a
collar made of feathers from the cassowary,
also from the same islands; girdles orna-
mented with beads from the Caroline
Islands; necklace made of human teeth
from New Guinea; wooden combs worn by
native priests in Fiji; finely carved ceremo-
NAL staffs from New Caledonia; wooden
seats eight inches high, used by women in
the Marquesas; several pairs of human
jaws, cleaned and polished, taken from the
heads OF enemies killed in battle by the
natives of New Guinea; five forks used by
F1Jian canibals many years ago in their
feasts Of human flesh; fishing nets made
from slnnet, or cocoanut fiber, with shell
sinkers, from New Guinea; a Tongan
pestle made from volcanic rock, used for
pulverlzlng tdro, native vegetable re-
sembling the Irish potato; poi dishes,
brought from New Ireland and Hawaii; a
sacrificlal ak from Boka Bay. Solomon
Islands, stained with human blood man
catching net made of piece Of tough, pill
able wood fitted into long handle, and so
arranged as to slide through loop encir-
cling the neck of the pursued person, while
sharp stick, hardened by fire, pierces the
neck and the spinal cord at the moment of
capture This specimen. which was brought
from New Guinea, is exceedingly rare.
Included in the collection are an addition
al number Of curiosities from New Caledonia
which was taken there before they were
brought to the United States. It is need
less to say that the native seen in the picture
Is not among the curiosities. These consist
or war clubs, two human thigh bones,
SHARKS teeth weapons, two iron-tipped
lances, the ends weighted with human
bones, cocoanut shells for carrying water,
sticks used as badges Of Office, a native drum
and a miscellaneous collection of bows,
arrows and war clubs, and a conoh shell
used in time of war as q trumpet.
1t is naturally impossible to give in detail
a description of all the articles contained in
this valuable and most remarkable collec-
ton, but readers can inspect them in person
by visiting the museum, and may rest as
sured that they will see the most interesting
collections of the kind in existence.