A companion to the Liverpool Museum, containing a brief description of ... natural and foreign curiosities, etc. ... now open for inspection, in the Great Room, No. 22, Piccadilly / [W. Bullock].

  • Bullock, W. (William), 1773?-1849
Date:
1809
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A companion to the Liverpool Museum, containing a brief description of ... natural and foreign curiosities, etc. ... now open for inspection, in the Great Room, No. 22, Piccadilly / [W. Bullock]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    18/96 (page 6)
    [ <5 ] Bread-Pounder, from Otaheite. It is made of black bafaltes, and is an aftonifhing effort of labour, executed by a people to whom the ufe of iron inftruments are unknown. It is ufed in pounding the Bread Fruit. Spear-Caster, from New Zealand, with which the natives ffrike fifh with a furprifing celerity. Caps from Nootka or King George’s Sound, made of fea grafs, finely woven together : on one is defigned the procefs of their Whale Filhery. “ This, (fays Capt.Cook,) though rudely executed, ferves “ to (hew, that though there is no appearance of the knowledge of “ letters among them, they have fome notion of representing adtions “ in a lafting way, independent of what may be recorded in their fongs and tradition.” They are worn by both fexes without diflindtion. Hats, from the Sandwich Iflands, made of the feathers of Par- rots and other Birds. Matting, from the South-Sea Iflands. A Dancing Girl’s Apron, from Otaheite. A Mantle, from Nootka, or King George’s Sound. This kind of ornament paffes under the right arm, and ties over the left ihoulder, by which means both arms are at liberty. It is made of flax fo curioufly knotted together, that on examination it muff aftonifh the beholder, more especially when he confiders that it was made by a nation to whom the loom is unknown. Wooden Sword, from Botany-Bay. It is worthy of remark, that when Capt. Cook firfl difeovered New Holland, he was afto- nifhed to behold the natives fo expert in handling the lword after the European manner, from which he concluded they had feen and copied the ufe of that weapon. Bow and Arrows, of different nations. Two fmall Cloaks, made of feathers, to cover the fhoulders, from the South-Seas. An Idol, from the Sandwich Iflands. This monflrous and uncouth reprefentation of the human countenance is made of wicker work, curioufly covered with fmall feathers of various colours, wrought in the fame manner as their cloaks. The eves are made of large pearl (hells, with a nut of black wood in the centre; the mouth is fet with a double row of dog’s teeth, w hich, together with the reft of the features, are ftrangely diftorted. Glass Case, B. Moft of the articles in this Cafe were prefented to the Mufeum by Dr. James E. Smith, of Marlborough-llreet, London, Prefident of the Linnaean Society. Specimens of the bark of the Lagetto Tree, the curious texture of which refembles gauze. King Charles II. (it is faid) had a pair of ruffles and a cravat made from this bark, which were prefented to