502 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 137 



no beards at all for they pull away ther hares as fast as it growes. And 

 they also cutt y* heares on y' right side of ther heade that it might not hinder 

 thena by flappinge about ther bow stringe, when they draw it to shoott But 

 on y* other side they lett it grow & haue a long locke hanginge doune ther 

 shoulder. (Smith, John, Arber ed., 1884, p. cxiii.) 



Percy saj^s that the Powhatan Indians shaved the right side of 

 the head with a shell (Narr. Early Va., Tyler ed., 1907, p. 12). Smith 

 confirms him as to the general fact that the Virginia Indian men 

 preserved their hair at full length on only one side, and he adds 

 that "for Barbers they use their women, who with 2 shels grate 

 away the haire of any fashion they please." Elsewhere he mentions 

 reeds as well as shells used in this operation (Narr. Early Va., Tyler ed., 

 1907, pp. 99, 115) . Strachey is somewhat more detailed : 



The men shave their haire on the right side very close, keeping a ridge 

 commonly on the toppe or crowne like a coxcomb ; for their women, with 

 two shells, will grate away the haire into any fashion they please. On the 

 left side they weare theire haire at full length, with a lock an ell long, which 

 they anoint with walnut oyle, whereby it is very sleeke, and shynes like a 

 raven's winge. Spmetymes they tye up their lock with an arteficyall and 

 well-laboured knott (just in the fashion as I have seene the Cerrazzais of 

 Scio and Pera), stuck with many coulored gewgawes, as the cast-head or 

 brown-antle of a deare, the hand of their enemie dryed, croisetts of bright and 

 shyning copper, like the newe moone. Many weare the whole skyne of a hauke 

 stuffed with the wings abroad, and buzzards' or other fowles' whole wings, 

 and to the feathers they will fasten a little rattle, about the bignes of the 

 chape of a rapier, which they take from the tayle of a snake, and sometymes 

 divers kinds of shells, hanging loose by small purfleets or threeds, that, being 

 shaken as they move, they might make a certaine murmuring or whisteling 

 noise by gathering wynd, in which they seem to take great jollity, and hold 

 yt a kind of bravery. (Strachey, 1849, pp. 66-67). 



Smith speaks of a priest or conjurer who had "his head hung round 

 with little Skinnes of Weasels and other vermine, with a Crownet of 

 feathers on his head" (Smith, John, Tyler ed., 1907, p. 51). He 

 also repeats many of the things just quoted from Strachey regarding 

 articles of the headdress. 



Percy mentions a crown of deer's hair on the head of a Eapahan- 

 nock chief, and another native chief gave such a hat, "his crown 

 which was of Deares hayre. Dyed redd," to Newport (Narr. Early Va., 

 Tyler ed., 1907, p. 14; Smith, Arber ed., 1884, p. xliii).-' 



Beverley (1705, bk. 3, p. 2) simply says that "the Men wear their 

 Hair cut after several fanciful Fashions, sometimes greas'd, and 



^^ In a letter written by William Byrd, May 26, 1686, to John Clinton, the writer says : 

 "According to your desire I have herewith sent you an Indian Habitt for your Boy, the best 

 I could procure among our Neighbour Indians, there is a flap or Belly Clout 1 p*" Stockings 

 & 1 p'" Mocosins or Indian shoes allso Some shells to put about his neck & a Cap of Wampum 

 I could not gett any dyed Hair, w'l would have been better & cheaper these things are put 

 up in an Indian Baskett, directed as you desired, there are a Bow and arrows tyed to Itt" 

 (Virginia Mag. Hist, and Biog., 1917, vol. 25, p. 129). 



