New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-11
THE WAR CLOAK OF KAMEHAMEHA 1.

AN INTERESTING HAWAIIAN RELIC TO BE SEEN
IN THIS CITY.
The recent proposed annexation Of the Sandwich
Islands has revived much forgotten lore concerning
the people Of Hawaii and their history. and notmhg
perhaps As more interesting than specimens OF the
handiwork Of this semi barbarous people VINO POS
sessed certain arts for ingenuity and patient labor
TINT cannot be equaed by the boosted civilization
OF the nineteenth century. In Tiffany CO.'S
window In Union Square, there Is on exhibition Tor
4 few days feather war cloak or namo, once the
property Of HawaPs giant King, Kamehameha CIhe
Lonely One) which tradition says cost the labor OF
several generations Of skilled workers. The body
consists Of Ane network Of homeap1n cord' maze
from the native hemp Or olona. the meshes OF whch
vary rom an eighth to q thirtysecond Of m inch )
over this u laid the featherwork IN small punches
of three or four feathers each tied with minute
thread highly twisted, made from the same hbre
The cloak Is almost semicrcular In shape, ana cut
TO fl in at the neck. The meshwork being made
m sections Of various shapes, allows 1t, when piaced
on n fall mans shoulders, to foil In graceful lines
about his body.
The body of the cloak Is Of red feathers, obtained
from the uwf Vesttana Cocinea). About third
Of its surface border Of some six inches and sew
eral crscent shaped figures scattered over the sur
face aresof the valuable yellow feathers derived from
90 or uho (Acrnlocercos Nobils) now said to be cx
tnct of which only specimen Is known TO be In
America and that is in the Smithsonian collection.
This bird is trtne larger than the sparrow; Its body
is black on the throat, the base OF the tall and
under the wings there little patches OF small
yellow feathers. The bird was protected by taboo
Of death 10 any one, not royal bid-catcher, from
molesting It. and they only allowed to capture
II by snares OF bird lime. made from viscld gum OF
the papala. When captured only four feathers wero
plucked aud the bird released. This wns done only
once year at the season OF the most brilliant
plumsge.
An estimate OF the value of this cloak may be
formed by taking into consideration that at the be-
ginping Of this century FIVE to feathers were worth
q piece of nankum valued at dollar and a half /;
there are probably over million feathers in the
cloak. The only other cloak like 1t In this country
IL In the Smithsonian Collection. and insured for
100000.
The cloak presented by Knmehamehs III to
the late Commodore Lawrence Kearny. U. S. ~. on
the occasion Of his visit to Honolulu a diplomatic
mission from the United States In Is43 the King
personally removing II from his shoulders and pre-
sentlpg It to the Commodore as token OF his esteem
and regard, saying ut the time. that 1t was his
most valued possession. The Commodore brought
II back with him TO America. with other Oriental
curios and Il was for many years one OF tile Orna-
rpents or his house at Perth Amboy. n. J.
TINE has begun to tell on II trihe. but II Is
YET d g16rfous relic OF line OF kings. whose de-
.tetidAnts may some day be counted as citizens OF
Tie United States.