OIL FOR THE HAIR. A SUPERSTITION. 



to be of a highly invigorating quality, but it is proba- 

 ble that the luxuriance of the hair of the women of 

 these countries is, in a great measure, constitutional; 

 although it cannot be denied that they take the 

 greatest possible care of it, and pride themselves on 

 its profusion. Should it be falling from weakness, 

 many superstitious practices are resorted to for the 

 purpose of preventing it : in these cases the fat ex- 

 tracted from venomous snakes and of crocodiles is 

 foolishly considered very efficacious ; for the feet to come 

 in contact with the ground during the period when 

 they use these, and similar remedies, is supposed to 

 destroy their good effects; and even when the hair is 

 in the finest condition, such parts of it as separate from 

 the head during the operations of dressing it, are care- 

 fully preserved, never being thrown out, or burnt, 

 or otherwise destroyed, as bad consequences are sup- 

 posed to follow such treatment of any part of it to the 

 remainder. Perhaps the vendor of the next oil pur- 

 porting to be that used by the natives of the Indian 

 islands may profit by the above remarks, and recom- 

 mend to the ladies of Europe the fat of snakes and 

 crocodiles instead of bears and other animals ; it may be 

 remarked, however, that that which the old women who 

 recommend its use to the young girls in Sarawak sell to 

 them, is seldom the fat of those animals, but usually some 

 vegetable oil, which is made to answer the purpose, 

 snakes and alligators being more difficult to obtain. 



As the women here are more scarce than the men, 

 as in all countries where polygamy prevails, on mar- 



