262 PATTERNS OF TATOOING. 



fish-hooks, and cahco, to which I added a quantity 

 of useful seeds,* which last were eagerly sought 

 after when their use had been explained and under- 

 stood. 



The women shewed an unsual amount of curiosity, 

 and were much pleased at the notice taken of 

 them, for, on examining the curious tatooing of 

 one, others immediately pressed forwards to shew 

 me theirs, directing particular attention to the 

 diflFerence of patterns. This practice of tatooing 

 the hody^or marking it with colouring matter 

 introduced into the skin by means of punctures or 

 incisions — is rarely exhibited by the men, and in 

 them is usually confined to a few blue hnes or stars 

 upon the right breast ; in some instances, however, 

 the markings consisted of a double series of large 

 stars and dots stretching jfrom the shoulder toward 

 the pit of the stomach. Among the wom^n the 

 tatooing extends over the face, fore part of the 

 arms, and whole front of body continued backwards 

 a little way over the shoulders, usually, but not 

 always, leaving the back untouched. The pattern 

 for the body consists of series of vertical stripes 

 less than an inch apart, connected by zigzag and 



* Part of a large supply procured at Hobart Town by Capt. 

 Stanley from the Government garden there. They were placed 

 under my charge, and were sown wherever circumstances appeared 

 favourable for their growth, chiefly on uninhabited islands, 

 there seldom having been an opportunity of distributing them 

 among the natives of the shores we visited. 



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