Page:Some Account of New Zealand.pdf/88

Rh to the weather. These, I imagine, are made with little labor from their setting but a a [sic] small value upon them.

Their dress-mats are made of the untwisted flax, in which state it has much the appearance of flos silk of a light yellow colour.

The war-mat is made of the flax very tightly twisted into threads; the twisting of which is performed by rolling with the hand upon the knee: their line and larger cord is all made by the method sailors call laying, and they have it of great length.

The war-mat in substance is much stouter than any canvas, and, as I before mentioned, when held loose upon the arm, forms an excellent defence to the person of the wearer.

Their mode of weaving, which is chiefly performed by women, is by suspending the warp; the weft being held in the hand, as a ball, is passed between the threads of the warp alternately, and pressed more or less Rh