The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-06-17
AN ISLAND RESOURCE.
(Continued from Page 10

90 convey for examination as exhibit
Nj
Ny object was to ascertain exactly:
I. What kind OF plants he selects. 2.
To see the primitive method OF manu-
facture with the idea that this method
might furnish some suggestions for the
construction OF the machine.
We hardly made a few dozen steps
In the woods along 22 mile trail when
a rich harvest OF TouchardIa was
male plants. that could be distinguish
ed only by infiorescence. Whereas
male flowers are situated on relatively
long. repeatedly forking cymes. grow
ing out OF the base OF the leaves. fe-
male ones look like so many fiattened
Jumps OF green dough planted at the
base OF the top branches Both plants
are taken Unfortunately. Careful
discrimination Is made. however. in re-
gard to the age of the plant: neither
too young nor too old ones are taken.
The bark of old ones Is somewhat
knotty. woody and short jointed. and.
as I have mentioned. such a plant is
turned down to the ground to force IL
to give new shoots. The best stems
are not over a finger thick. about one
year and a half old. with the bark OF a
chocolate brown color. with distinct
scars OF former leaves. straight and
high $40 feet). devoid OF leaves ex-
cept on the top. Such stems are cut
with the knife near the root and below
the crown. Their bark strips easily
as a whole from bottom to the top.
The ribbon obtained Is hanged over the
neck of the gatherer. There is but one
plant with the leaves very much like
those OF Touchardia: IL is "Hopue;"
but this one generally grows to a larg-
er size tree. has different flower and
light greyish color OF the bark. Mel
Their previous soaking nor drying are
resorted to before the extraction. The
bark Is used raw.
The implements used are:
1. A wood board made of "Naou"
tree. characterized by it's dark color.
hardness. compactness. evenness and
absence OF knots. This board is about
s feet long by only 2-3 inches wide. 1t
has very light curve in both direc-
lions. In width and length; is wider at
one end and obtusely pointed at the
other.
2. A plate OF fishbone OF "Honu' fish
about inches long by 2h wide, and is
slightly curved in both directions. Its
lower margin is sharpened under As
degrees like the edge OF a chisel.
The process OF manufacture is as fol-
lows:
The "Naou'' board is fastened in the
ground with rocks at the narrow end
to prevent any forward sliding. the
curved surface uppermost. The broad
er end is a little elevated by another
piece OF rock. The board Is moistened
with water. A ribbon OF bark from
one plant Is taken. Its bottom end Is
first fastened by treading on II with the
toe OF the right foot. the top end is
raised vertically by the left hand. so
as to tightly stretch the band. Hold
ing the fish plate by the right hand
in It's middle. the sharp end OF the bone
In passed upward along the inner sur
face OF the ribbon. which operation is
intended for fiattening the curled rib
bon and taking OF the Shiny substance
covering the inner surface.
Then the ribbon Is stretched horizon
tally upon the Naou board. the bottom
end toward the wider end OF the board
and the operator. and held tightly TO
IL by the two fingers OF the left hand,
the outer surface OF the bark upwards,
the inner sticking TO the board. Then
the fish plate. held in the right hand |
by the middle at IS degrees. with its |
sharp end downwards and forwards. |
squeezing the ribbon between the tool |
and the board. Is repeatedly passed to- |
ward the pointed end OF the board, by |
which motion the flesh Is scraped of. /
leaving a ribbon OF dbre. From one /
20 two minutes are required 20 free the 1
bark OF one plant. The operation Of /
scraping u easy. the fibre evidently be-
ing- located on the inner surface.
Ribbons OF fibre thus obtained are
dried In the sun.
Besides manufacturing fishing nets
natives used TO make OF Il the best OF
their fishing lines. am told that
in former times paid high
prices for Olona for making lines for