The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-03-09
In LONDON.
VIs': to the Hawaiian CoiIec-
ton in the EthnoeraphicaI /
gallery British :

uueSb duL- valuable cOlIectlOnS
OF curios rerating to the Pacific ISL
ands is that within the walls of the
Photographed Gallery of the Brit
ish Museum. The Photographed
Gallery, which occupies the eastern
side of the upper floor of the British
Museum, contains collections Of diff
ferent articles from various parts Of
the globe. These are divided into
five groups, viz, Asia, Asiatic isl
ands, Oceania, Africa and America.
During recent visit to London, the
writer spent some hours at the mu-
scum in inspecting the group CLASH
fed under the head of Oceania. The
collection from the black races of
the Pacific, Australia and Melanesia
are arranged on the west side of the
gallery, whilst those from the brown
races of Polynesia and Micronesia
are on the opposite side. The arti-
cles belonging to the Hawaiian ISL
ands are contained in two large wall
cases. There are also two smaller
cases, standing in the middle Of the
room. Separate catalogues have
been issued by the British Museum
authorities giving details rs to a
great portion of the different collec-
tons of antiquities, etc, in that i'm
mense building, but as yet no list
has been published of the many arti,
cles included in the Photographed
section, and the only mention which
the Hawaiian exhibit receives IL
two and half lines of print in the
official guide.
A few random notes therefore III
reference to the Hawaiian curios IN
the British Museum, may prove In
teresting to those who take an inter
est in "auld nick nackets," more
especially Hawaiian ones.
Taking the objects as they come
the first is fine carved wooden idol
taken from heiau at Ksilua, anc
presented by John Adams, Governor
OF Hawaii, to Messrs. Tyerman &
Bennett, deputies from the Londor
Missionary Society, who visited
these islands in 1922. Next is 1
curious double tobacco pipe, o.
rather two pipes joined together b.
means of small mirror. 1t evidentl.
dates from the beginning. of thu
century, soon after the natives hat
acquired liking for the fragran
weed. Our attention is then drawn
to good specimen of the aunakl o.
fire stick, with accompanying aulimt
or rubbing stick, used in olden times
in the operation of hiahia or obtain
ing fire by the rubbing together o
two sticks. The kind Of wood uset
for the aunaki is said to have beer
usually a piece of olomea. This wa
brought from Hawaii by the Rev
VIM. Ellis, one of the pioneer mis-
sionaries. The above, together wit
a few more articles on view, such a
couple of stone ipu kukul, re
feather basket-work god, lei palao
and an The pahee or moa hooholohol
used in the game of pahee, weI
loaned to the British Museum frol
the London Missionary Society
collection.
Passing on, We arrive at a numb'
of miniature lei palaoas, In one Il
stance four OF these being strung c
one cord. One of them is staine
black, somewhat unusual colo
There are also number of sma
figures cut out OF whales teeth al
Fashioned into the shape of turtle
These ornaments were worn
finger rings, being tied on with
niece of cocoanut fibre Of lei T
iaoas proper there are seven, Oh
being especially noticeable from t
magnificent human hair braid
which it is suspended.
AS regards kapas, there are sol
of the rarer and earlier patterns; b
they are not displayed to advantas
aud they certainly do not compa
with the fine assortment at t
Bishop Museum. One kappa of n
yellow and black pattern has tlcl
on it. stating that it was worn
Tiholiho, who died in London
1894. There is also fair set of ka
stamps, or ohe kapala, and hoah
ie kuku (kapa mallets), and kua,
pounding boards. -,
Tt must be admitted, however, Il
1t IS II the spleheAH
feather leis. cloaks, capes and b
NETS that the British Museum exc
all other institutions of SIM
nature throughout the world. A;
we'll known, these were taken aW
from the islands by Cook, Vancon
and other earlier navigators-f
CONVEX more especially. Several
the helmets and cloaks, and even
leis. NAV be said to be unique,
snrpass even those found IN
Bishop or Berlin Museums, or
roval collections at Honolulu.
particularize, there are no less u
twenty eight feather lels, most \,
these having been obtained by '
CONVEX on his visits to the lsla
between 1925. The colors OF
leis being as follows: Nine all
six red and yellow, eight red, 6i
and yellow, three black with II
yellow, and one black with a Il
red and yellow. In addition, I'll
ia one more lei-a huge Que, ar
nerfect beauty in form. Red, b
and yellow feathers have been
ployed in making it; Before lea'
the subject of leis, it is interestln
note the great resemblance W
the feather leis of Hawaii bea