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[Page 433]

Manners & Customs of the S. Sea Islanders

this they double the peice several times & beat it out again & afterwards bleach it in the sun & air which in these Climates cause whiteness in a very short time but I beleive that the finest of their Hoboo does not come to either its whiteness or softness untill it has been worn some time then washd & beat over again with the very finest beaters. Of this thin Cloth they have as many different sorts almost as we have of Linnen distinguishing it into different finenesses & the different materials of which it is made. Each peice is from 9 to 15 yards in lengh & about 2 and a half broad & serves them for Cloths in the day & bedding at night When by use it is sufficiently worn & become dirty it is carried to the river & washd cheifly by letting in soak in a gentle stream fasned to the bottom by a stone or if very dirty wringing it & squeesing it very gently several of the peices of Cloth so washd are then laid on each other & being beat with the coarsest side of the beater adhere together & become a cloth as thick as coarse broad Cloth than which nothing can be more soft or delicious to the feel This however is not the case with it immediately after being beat it is then stiff as if newly starchd & some parts

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