64 COSTUME. 



The women are often of the most delicate and symmetrical 

 shape, with full and rounded forms, and very small hands 

 and feet. Nevertheless, from their precarious mode of life, 

 and constant exposure to the sun, &c., any beauty they pos- 

 sess is soon lost ; and, in a more advanced age, many become 

 the most hideous of human beings. 



Both sexes are exceedingly filthy in their habits. Dirt 

 often accumulates to such a degree on their persons as to 

 make the color of their skin totally indistinguishable ; while, 

 to complete the disguise, they smear themselves with a pro- 

 fusion of red ochre and grease. Hence the exhalation hover- 

 ing about them is disgusting in the extreme. 



Neither men nor women wear much clothing. Their ha- 

 biliments consist merely of a skin or two of sheep or goats, 

 with the hair on or off, which they wrap loosely round the 

 waist, or throw across the shoulders. These skins, as with 

 their own limbs, are besmeared with large quantities of red 

 ochre and grease, and with the wealthier classes are orna- 

 mented with coarse iron and copper beads, of various size. 



The men usually go bareheaded; but, in case of cold 

 or rain, they wear a sort of cap, or rather piece of skin, 

 which they can convert into any shape or size that fancy 

 may dictate. 



Independently of the skins,' the women wear a kind of bod- 

 ice, made from thousands of little rounded pieces of ostrich 

 egg-shells strung on threads, seven or eight such strings be- 

 ing fastened together ; but I am not sure that it is not more 

 for ornament than real utility. The head-dress of the mar- 

 ried women is curious and highly picturesque, being not un- 

 like a helmet in shape and general appearance. 



Boys are usually seen in a state of almost absolute nudity. 

 The girls, however, wear a kind of apron, cut up into a num- 

 ber of fine strings, which are sometimes ornamented with iron 

 and copper beads. 



Few ornaments are worn 1)V the men. v/lio prefer sceino- 



