BOSSELL] PERSONAL DECORATION 159 



their hair in iiiouming for lost relatives. The skeins were from 1 

 to 2 cm. in diameter; the hair of one old man, purchased from him, 

 is 1.1 m. long; one of the skeins has been broken in the middle 

 and tied in a hard knot. Such flowing locks could not, of course, 

 be worn unconfuied at all times; they were usually wound around 

 the head and inclosed beneath a headliand or })y a cord of varie- 

 gated colors (pi. XLiii, a; see also fig. 75). The earlocks that are the 

 pride of so many tribes were sometimes braiiled by the Pimas and 

 ornaments of shell, bone, and, later, tin and scarlet cloth, were tied 

 to them. The front hair was cut scjuarely across the forehead. 



The ej-elashes and eyel)rows were not tampered with, l)ut the scanty 

 beard was plucked out with tweezers. The hair of cliildren was for- 

 merly "cut" with a burning brand whenever it reached their shoul- 

 ders, in order that it might grow more abundantly. The portion cut 

 off was mixeti with mud and plastered on the heatl again for a few 

 hours that it might improve the growth of the new liair. It was an' 

 e^^l omen if the child should cliance to touch the hair just cut from 

 his head, for was it not a sign that he would steal the sacred salt? 



Women wore their hair long, but not twisted into skeins as was 

 tliat of the men, and, furthermore, they were accustomed to cut it in 

 mourning to a much greater extent than the men, so that it never 

 attained extreme length. When at work it was twisted up on the 

 head in a temporary coil that was confined by any convenient cord or 

 bit of cloth. Unless engagcil m vigorous exerci.se, as grunling with the 

 metate, the older women allowed their hair to hang loose (pi. xxxviii,a, 

 XLVi, c). The front liair was trimmed to fall just clear of the eyes, 

 as in same plate, b. Lncidentalh', it thus protected the eyes from 

 the Sim, though it is questionable how far the originators of the fashion 

 were conscious of this usefi'l purpose. Above all else the hair was the 

 pride of Pima women; twice at least each day it was brushed until it 

 shone in smooth, ebony waves that were ever luxuriantly abuntlant. 

 "Every once in a while," or aI)out once a week, the liair was treated 

 to a nmd bath made by mixing black river mud with mes(|uite gum 

 and allowing the plaster to remain over night (pi. xxxviii, c). Some- 

 times the ginn was dilutcil with warm water and applied as a wasli 

 before the nuid was laid on. The mud killetl the vermin and clean.seil 

 the hair as does soap The gum is believed to darken the hair and 

 prevent it from growing gray. The Pimas declare that when wi<lows 

 mourn for four years without washing their hair it becomes a rusty red 

 from being burned by tlie sun. The method of cleaning the hair 

 above described is still practised, even by the yoimger generation. 



