MCGEE] 



LARGE USE OF SKINS 



227* 



apparently dried without dressing, together with 

 skius of rabbits, inoiiutaiu sheep, antelope, etc, 

 usually tattered or torn into fragments. Commonly 

 the hides and pelts are nearly or quite iu natural 

 condition, retaining the hair, fur, or feathers. The 

 dressing is apparently limited to scratching and 

 gnawing away superfluous flesh, followed by some 

 rubbing and greasing; tanning is apparently un- 

 known. By far the most abundant of the collective 

 possessions are the pelican-skin robes, which form 

 the sole article of recognized barter with aliens. 

 The aggregate stock accumulated at any time is but 

 meager, never too much to be borne on the heads 

 and backs of the clan in case of unexpected de- 

 camiiing. 



Aside from the jiainting paraphernalia, there is 

 but a single conspicuous toilet article; this is a hair- 

 brush made of yucca fiber bound into cylindrical 

 form, as illustrated in figure U9. This article is in 

 frequent use; both women and men give much atten- 

 tion to brushing their own long and luxurious locks 

 and cultivating the hair and scalps of their children, 

 the pi'ocess being regarded as not only directly useful 

 but in some measure sacramental. Ordinarily the 

 hair is parted iu the middle and brushed straight, 

 the tresses being permitted to wander at will and 

 never braided or bound or restrained by fillets save 

 in imitation of Caucasian customs on the frontier; 

 though in certain ceremonies the pelage is gathered 

 in a lofty knot on the top-head.' 



The Seri cradle is merely a bow of paloblanco or 

 other switch with rude cross-sticks lashed on, as 

 shown in figure 30. On this is laid a small pelican- 

 skin robe, with a quantity of pelican down for a 

 diaper, and perhaps a few pelican feathers attached 

 as jtlumes to wave over the occupant's face; though 

 on the frontier these primitive devices are largely 

 replaced by rags. 



Among the important appurtenances of Seri life 

 are the cords used for belts and necklaces, as well as 

 for the attachment of ceremonial headdresses, for con- 

 verting the kilts into bags, and for numberless minor 

 purposes. The finest of these are made from human 

 hair; and for this purpose the combings are care- 

 fully kept, twisted into strands, and wound on thorns 

 or sticks iu slender bobbins, such as that illustrated 



<h^\ 



Fio, 31— Hair spindle. 



iCf. Hardy, Travels, p. 290. 



