THE PRIMEVAL FORESTS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 205 



least by their desire for approbation, which must please even the 

 least susceptible of men. This trait is much more conspicuous in 

 them than even the self-consciousness which beauty gives : they 

 must and will please. The preservation of their beauty is their 

 highest aim, and counts for more than any other gain. To avoid 

 sunburning, which would darken their clear brown skins, they live 

 in the shade of the forest, contenting themselves with a few goats, 

 their only domestic animals except dogs, and foregoing the wealth that 

 numerous herds of cattle and camels afford their nomadic relatives. 

 That their charms may be in no way spoiled, they strive above all 

 to become possessed of female slaves, who relieve them of all hard 

 work; to decorate face and cheeks they endure heroically, even as 

 little girls, the pain inflicted by the mother as she cuts with a knife 

 three deep, parallel, vertical wounds in the cheeks, that as many thick, 

 swollen scars may be formed, or as she pricks forehead, temples, and 

 chin with a needle and rubs indigo powder into the wounds, so pro- 

 ducing blue spirals or other devices; to avoid injury to their dazzling 

 white, almost sparkling teeth, they eat only lukewarm food; to pre- 

 serve as long as possible their most elaborate coiffure, which consists 

 of hundreds of fine braids, stiffened with gum arabic and richly 

 oiled, they use no pillow save a narrow, crescent-shaped, wooden 

 stand, on which they rest their heads while sleeping. To satisfy 

 their sense of beauty, or perhaps in order that they may be seen 

 and admired by every inhabitant or visitor, they have thought out 

 the singular construction of their huts. 



These huts may be perhaps best compared to the booths to be 

 seen at fairs. The floor, which consists of rods as thick as one's 

 thumb bound closely together, rests upon a framework of stakes 

 rising about a yard from the ground, thus making the dwelling 

 difficult of access to creeping pests, and raising it from the damp 

 ground. The walls consist of mats; the roof, overhanging on the 

 north side, which is left open, is made of a waterproof stuff 

 woven from goat's hair. Neatly plaited mats of palm-leaf strips 

 cover the floor; prettily-wrought wicker-work, festoons of shells, 

 water-tight plaited baskets, earthen vessels, drinking-cups made 

 from half a bottle-gourd, gaily-coloured utensils also plaited, lids, 



