Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-16
THE MILLION DOLLAR MANTLE.
Priceless Garment That Has Envel-
oped the Forms of Hawaiian Kings.

n mas ISuSeI-
oped the Forms of Hawaiian Kings.
A valuable collection of Hawaiian
feather war cloaks and capes is on ex-
hibition at the National museum. One
of the cloaks, the largest in the collec-
ton, is of immense value. 1t is known
as the million dollar MANTLE" 1t once
enveloped the kingly form of Kekuaska-
liam, one of the highest chiefs of the
Sandwich islands, in whose reign it was
completed nearly hundred years after it
was begun. Upon the death of Ke-
kuaskalian. who fell in battle, it be-
came the property of his enemy, King
Kamehameha Ill, by whom it was pre-
sented to Captain j. H. Aulick, of the
: United States navy.
The foundation of this most remark
able cloak is IL network of olona or ma
tive hemp" and to it are attached by
threads of the same material feathers of
native birds found only in the Hawaiian
islands. The entire body of the mantle
is made up of small red and yellow
feathers, the latter ones being obtained
from the 90 on Uho (Moo nobilis), a
bird extremely rare and possessing but
one or two of these yellow feathers
which are found under the wings. This
bird is captured alive by means of the
lime trap, and when deprived of the
precious feathers, is set at liberty. Great
prize is put on these feathers by the
crown. They are used as money in buy
ing and selling, and are accepted by the
government in payment of taxes. The
red feathers are obtained from the most
abundant bird OF the islands, the Dire
ponis coccinea
In the "million dollar mantle the
feathers are placed so as to overlap, thus
giving a smooth surface to the exterior
of the cloak. The upper and lateral
borders of the mantle are decorated with
alternate tufts of red, yellow and black
feathers, but only on the margin are the
black feathers used, which are obtained
from the Uho. In the center of the mantle
is a large crescent shaped figure of yell
low feathers, surrounded by belt of red,
which blends in the middle of the belt
on either side with succeeding stripe of
red, the outer margins of which are di-
vided by two wedge shaped processes
Of yellow.
From this last named figure on either
side to the circumferences are alternate
parallel stripes of yellow and red about
six inches broad. The upper circum-
ference of the cloak, where it fastens
about the neck, is about twenty inches,
the lower one being seven or seven and
a half feet, thus forming cloak capable
of amply enveloping a very large per-
son. The mantle is protected by a hand
some case and its beauty advantageously
displayed by a background of blue vel
vet.
There are two other capes in the col
lection, very much smaller, and two
boas. The larger of the capes is little
more than collar, its upper and lower
circumferences being but seventeen and
sixty-six inches, respectively. The entire
body is of yellow feathers, having but
two small crescents of red in the center.
The remaining cape, virtually red
one. has only two small designs of yell
low feathers and consequently is much
less valuable.
The boas made from the feathers of
the UhO are about two feet in length,
and fasten about the neck with hempen
cords.
The feather garments were at one
time considered the greatest possessions
of the crown, but the costumes of Eu-
ropean and American manufacture have
them, and they are no longer
on the islands. Wash
ington Post