glue. Having
been thus lengthened, they are laid over a large piece of wood, with a
kind of stamp, made of a fibrous substance pretty closely interwoven,
placed beneath. They then take a bit of cloth, and dip it in a juice,
expressed from the bark of a tree, called _kokka_, which they rub
briskly upon the piece that is making. This, at once, leaves a dull
brown colour, and a dry gloss upon its surface; the stamp, at the same
time, making a slight impression, that answers no other purpose, that I
could see, but to make the several pieces, that are glued together,
stick a little more firmly. In this manner they proceed, joining and
staining by degrees, till they produce a piece of cloth, of such length
and breadth as they want; generally leaving a border, of a foot broad,
at the sides, and longer at the ends, unstained. Throughout the whole,
if any parts of the original pieces are too thin, or have holes, which
is often the case, they glue spare bits upon them, till they become of
an equal thickness. When they want to produce a black colour, they mix
the soot procured from an oily nut, called _dooedooe_, with the juice of
the _kokka_, in different quantities, according to the proposed depth of
the tinge. They say, that the black sort of cloth, which is commonly
most glazed, makes a cold dress, but the other a warm one; and, to
obtain strength in both, they are always careful to join the small
pieces lengthwise, which makes it impossible to tear the cloth in any
direction but one.

On our return from the country, we met with Feenou, and took him, and
another young chief, on board to dinner. When our fare was set upon the
table, neither of them would eat a bit; saying, that they were _taboo
avy_. But, after enquiring how the victuals had been dressed, having
found that no _avy_ (water) had been used in cooking a pig; and some
yams, they both sat down, and made a very hearty meal; and, on being
assured that there was no water in the wine, they drank of it also. From
this we conjectured, that, on some account or another, they were, at
this time, forbidden to use water; or, which was more probable, they did
not like the water we made use of, it being taken up out of one of their
bathing-places. This was not the only time of our meeting with people
that were _taboo avy_; but, for what reason, we never could tell with
any degree of certainty.

Next day, the 17th, was fixed upon by Mareewagee, for giving a grand
_Haiva_, or ent