Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-24

This specimen is to be seen among the
green plants which surround the fountain
pool under the high dome of the rotunda.
Looking westward from the fountain into
the chronological court the visitor will no.
uce. perched upon one of the cases near
the further extremity of the court, the bust
of a dark gentleman attired in civilized
garb. This was nodded from a photo
graph of King Calico" and, while giving
a very good idea of the general appearance
OF the man, fails to reproduce the peculiar
expression apparently due to the charac-
teristic chubbineSs of the Sandwich Is
lander.
Under this bust are exhibited the precious
war cloaks. which for costliness Of fabri-
cation are almost above comparison. One,
brilliant with red and yellow feathers, has
an expanse of five or six feet. 1t is labeled
with framed statement in i good hand,
concluding with the subscription Prince
Of the Sandwich Islands," This feather
cloak" says the inscription, formerly be-
lcngsd to Keluaskalani one of the highest
chiefs of the Sandwich islam Is. After the
abolition of idolatry. in the year 1879, that
chief rebeled against the -eiSning ling
and attempted to re-establish the ancient
religions. A sanguinary battle was fought
and that chief was slain, and the cloak
which he then had on fell into the hands
of the conquerors and thus became the
property of King kamehameha III, by
whom IL was presented to Capt. J. II. Au-
lick, United States navy"
The foundation of the mantle is net
by fine threads, the feathers OF birds found
only at the Hawaiian Islands. The feath-
ers. overlapping each other. lie Hat, form
ing a smooth surface, decorated with alter
nate figures, generally crescent shaped, of
either red yellow feathers. The inner
surface is without lining and shows the
network and the quill ends of The feathers
The yellow feathers are obtained from TIE
90, or uho. and are of great value, as the
bird Is comparatively rare, very shy and
difficult to capture. and it has but a very
small tuft OF these feathers upon each
shoulder. The 90 is caught alive by means
of bird lime. the yellow feather piucked and
the bird released.
An issue of the Hawaiian Spectator in
1859 contained this interesting info. ton:
'.kaukeaouli has the mans, feather war
cloak of his father. Ta-meha-meha. Ii was
not completed until his reign, having occu-
pied eight preceding ones in its fabrication
A piece of nankeen. valued 1T $50. was
formerly the price of five of the yellow
feathers. By this estimate the varle of the
cloak would equal that of the purest da-
monds in several of the European regalia
and including the price of the feathers not
less than a million dollars labor was ex-
pended upon il. at the present rate of COM
putting wages
The Crown Treasure.
Taxes were paid to the native sovereigns
IN these yellow feathers Many years were
consumed in the collection of The material
for the manufacture of these nantles which
were. until recent years, the royal robes of
state. and constituted the principal treasure
of the crown.
A few days since an inventor was at the
museum examining the rolls uf sinnet, or
native cocoa fiber BRAID to obtain sI,yg.s-
tons fo- the perfecting of a ieyIce to b..
patented. These rolls as put Up by tie
natives exhibit a strikingly ornamental ar
rangement- The braid was of great import
ance in the Hawaiian industries. for suci
article n "a
even a peg was never used. Everyth:I,g
was tied together-Shark's teeth to sp..ars
and sword edges, the thatch, rafters and
poles of houses. and even the water tight
parts of wooden canoes.
mis- may be well seen on the native yes
sci previously mentioned as having been
presented by former queen. This heat
may De readily distinguished from the other
vessels suspended from the ceiling IN the
navigation hall by it's sail of woven mat
ung- IL Is a narrow, round bottomej canoe
aoout twenty-five feet long. in which the
wo-k OF keel is performed by outrigging-
small log tied to the ends of two sticks
protrud1nS several feet from the size of the
canoe Often the native increased the ca
Scsy OF MS vessel by laying supports
Scross the transverse pieces, and in the
Ions voyages for which his race was SO re-
made. '0@
A large and varied collection of PoIvne.
s s,ah paddles Is 10 be found in the cases of
N.e genealogical hall, displaying the diver
g. VI FORM and popularity OF ornamental
tbaso CHARACTERISTIC of the productions of
THESE people. The paddles, generally having
spear-snape1 blades. are finely finished and
:! Iinietrical in outline. The Sandwich ISL
an;lsh, IA common with all his Pacific ocean
"s.Shoors, was an expert swimmer
me physique of the Polynesian exc;ta5
SIe summation of all the early yoyagers
1aVlhS skin Of a distinctive brown bue
~ eeEtaln married features of Character
and temperament his is a race 70 he -.
apart from all others upon the earth. What
Iatu was ms previous home IS a question
whlch chronological research and debata
~. -. We nov YET answered He has none Of kin |
t0e racine, though in some respects he has