ais.

They make blowpipes, arrows and quivers from bamboo, strings from
twisted vegetable fibres, ear-rings and ornamental combs for the women.
Now, under my direction, they have begun to plait mats with dried
grasses, as well as bags and even hats, using for the latter the fibrous
part of the pandanus, and copying one of Panama which I gave them as a
model. I cannot give an estimate of the time and patience I spent over
this new branch of industry.

The first time I mentioned such a thing to the women I had the
unenviable success of making them laugh heartily. And I laughed with
them, remarking however, that as they were so good and clever they would
have no difficulty in accomplishing the feat if they would only set
themselves to try.

Vanity is the great spring of a woman's soul that cannot resist the
charm of flattery. This is proved by History from the time of Eve to our
days and I myself proved it when I again spoke on the subject of hats.
The laughter was not so loud and soon ceased altogether. At last the
women answered me, with an annoyed and discontented air, that my
insistance vexed them. Then I knew that the fortress was about to
capitulate and re-doubled my attacks.

The day of surrender was near.

A girl, accompanied by a group of inquisitive, mocking companions,
presented herself at my hut bringing with her something in the shape of
a hat which was meant to be an imitation of mine. It was full of knots,
puckers and other defects.

The little artist was very confused and mortified but I praised her work
a great deal and after showing her the mistakes she had made I gave her
several bead-necklaces.

In a few days the hats multiplied. The other girls and the women, seeing
the presents I had given their companion, felt offended and devoted
themselves with fury to the manufacture of the head-covering I desired,
improving the form so much as to obtain an exact copy of the pattern
one.

When some were finished they brought them to me and throwing them on the
ground with a gesture of scorn cried:

"There! take your hats!". But a generous distribution of beads soon made
their good-temper return.

Thus I was able to start this new industry by flattering the vanity of
the Sakai females ("oh, Vanity, thy name is Woman" even among the
savages) and the goods produced, after having been awarded a silver
medal and a diploma at Penang were the object of general admiration at
the Milan Exhibition of 1906.