38 MEMOIR OP 



erect, and well-proportioned ; and never too short 

 nor too thin, nor ill made. They carry their heads 

 erect; their forehead and whole physiognomy are 

 open, indicative of their pride and ferocity. They 

 never cut their hair, nor does it become grey, ex- 

 cept partially, and when they have reached the age 

 of eighty years. The men tie it in a knot ; the 

 women wear it long and without any kind of dress- 

 ing. These latter have no kind of ornaments or 

 finery. The males are distinguished by what they 

 consider ornamental, viz. the Barbote. A few days 

 after birth, the mother, pinching up the lower lip, 

 horizontally pierces the two folds, from one side to 

 the other, a little above the root of the teeth, and 

 introduces a small piece of wood five inches long, 

 and somewhat thicker than most of our pencils. It 

 is never removed during life. This characteristic of 

 the male sex is not confined to this nation, but is 

 almost universal among the others.* I cannot con- 

 ceive what kind of dwellings these people had when, 

 previous to the conquest, they could procure the 

 hides neither of oxen nor horses. Now they are 

 very simple. From the nearest tree they cut down 

 three or four green boughs ; these they bend, insert- 

 ing the two ends into the ground : over three or four 

 arches, not far from each other, they extend an ox 

 hide, and the family mansion is provided. They 

 have neither chairs, benches, nor tables, and scarcely 

 any furniture. 



* Southey, in his haste, puts it into the upper lip. VoL iiL 

 p. 387. 



