NORTH QUKKNSLAND ETHNOGKAPHY KOTH. 47 



forming liorizoiatal bands around the arms ; on the back, vertical 

 bands of small horizontal cuts on either side of the vertebral 

 column, and occasionally oblique over on the outer buttocks. 



46. To the north-west of Princess Charlotte Bay, the few 

 Koko-olkulo whom I have come across, have a very distinctive 

 small circular scar around the umbilicus, in addition to the 

 transverse ones above. Otherwise at Princess Charlotte Bay, 

 the cicatrices are of the ordinary linear type, seen in both sexes, 

 though of far more regular pattern, design, and distinctiveness 

 in the males. 



47. Throughout the North-Western Districts, scars are to be 

 seen in both sexes* '^. As a rule they consist of numerous trans- 

 verse scars cut across the trunk from about the level of the 

 nipples to the navel, and a few, from one to three longitudinal 

 cuts along the to|) and front aspect of each shoulder ; using the 

 local Pitta-Pitta terms of Boulia, the former marks are spoken of 

 as tipardo, and the latter as muturu. These are the positions 

 most commonly adopted, but additional ones may occasionally 

 be found, as on the upper portions of the che.st and on the 

 back. Amongst the Cloncurry Blacks, on the back are five or 

 six pairs of small cuts on either side of the vertebral column 

 from the loins up, and intervening between these may Ije found 

 two or three pairs of longer bands coming right round the flanks 

 to join those in the front ; again, here and there may be found 

 additional small dots scattered irregularly over the arms and 

 back. In the Yaro-inga Tribe of the Upper Georgina River I 

 have noticed a couple of transverse scars on the upper arms just 

 below the orthodox longitudinal shoulder ones. 



48. At Cape Bedford, both sexes are scarred, with varying 

 pattern about which there does not appear to be anything special 

 to be noted. On the Bloomfield River, raised scars are to be 

 seen only on the men ; transverse on the chest, upper abdomen, 

 and back, vertical on the outer tliigh and shoulders. A few 

 transverse ones like armlets are sometimes seen on the arms ; 

 exceptionally among the women, there may be armlets formed 

 of small component vertical scars. 



49. On the TuUy River, the nature and position of the scars 

 varies with the sexes. In the males, one cut is made on the boy 

 horizontally across the lower level of the great pectoral muscles, 

 about a year or two before puberty ; it is an essential cut, made 

 by the father, or other tribesman, is called chindnl (MAL. ) and 



*'' On Mornington Island they are also to be seen on both sexes. 



