168 Manners and Customs of the Australian Natives, 



into a cord of about a quarter of an incli tliick, and wliicli at 

 times is interwoven with emu feathers. If they cannot have 

 one of this description^ tliey will take any kind of cord 

 rather than do without one altogether. They always wear it 

 tight, but tighter if hungry, as they say, in order to allay the 

 painful sensation of hunger. I have seen these cords tied so 

 tightly, that in front they were perfectly hidden from obser- 

 vation. 



The means which the natives, both males and females, 

 mostly use and prefer to all others for beautifying themselves, 

 is fat ; if well supplied, they rub their entire body over Avith 

 it; but if short of it, they confine themselves to anointing their 

 faces only. There can be no doubt that this custom has its 

 origin in some sound reasonable motive, and produces with 

 them a feeling of comfort, in hot weather particularly, when 

 the mosquitos and flies are exceedingly troublesome. They 

 will ask for a little fat as pitifully as for a piece of bread. 

 They compare this custom to that of Europeans washing 

 themselves ; they never appear in better humour than when 

 the fat is actually dripping from the entire body, from head 

 to foot. 



Dr. Livingstone, in his Travels in Africa, page 108, in 

 alluding to the custom of the Griquas and Bechuanas 

 rubbing their bodies with fat or oil, states, that probably 

 this is done " in order to assist in prot(;cting the pores of the 

 skin from the influence of the sun by day, and of the cold by 

 night. ^^ 



They use three colours in painting themselves, viz. — black, 

 red, and white. The black and red colours are the produce 

 of a soft stone which they draw from a great distance in the 

 north; by rubbing or scraping it they obtain a powder, which 

 they rub into the fat which they have before put on their 

 faces, arms, and breasts ; the colors then assume quite a 

 metallic lustre. The white colour is prepared of a soft clay 

 or chalk. It is applied on particular occasions only, among 

 others for dancing, and when in mourning. I shall, here- 

 after have the opportunity of stating more fully, how, for 

 dancing, they paint themselves with this color. For indicating 

 mourning, the women paint their whole front, a ring round 

 each eye, and a perpendicular line about the stomach; but 

 the men paint the breast by making drawn or punctured 

 streaks down from the shoulders, all verging towards and 

 joining at the navel. The difference in the design of the 

 painting indicates the nearer or more remote degree of the 



