434 



WOMEN S DRESS. 



their weapon. Before superiors they bare the 

 shaven poll, an un-Oriental custom probably 

 learned from the Portuguese. As amongst the 

 Arab Bedawin, the Syrian Rayahs, and the Per- 

 sian Iliyat, the women mostly go abroad unveiled. 

 The ' Murungawanah,' or freeborn, however, is 

 distinguished out-of-doors by her rude mantilla, 

 and ' ladies ' affect an Ukaya, or fillet of indigo- 

 dyed cotton, or muslin, somewhat like that of 

 the Somal and the Syrians. The feminine garb 

 is a Kisitu, or length of stained cotton, blue 

 and red being the pet colours. It resembles 

 the Kitambi of the Malagash, and it is the nearest 

 approach to the primitive African kilt of skin or 

 tree bark. Wrapped tightly round the unsup- 

 ported bosom, and extending from the armpits to 

 the heels, this ungraceful garb depresses the 

 breast, spoils the figure, and conceals nothing of 

 its deficiencies. The hair, like the body, drips 

 with unfragrant cocoa-nut oil ; and though there 

 is not much material to work upon, it is worked 

 in various fanciful styles. Many shave clean ; 

 some wear a half-crop, like a skull-cap of Astracan 

 wool ; others a full-grown bush covering the 

 whole head. These part it down the middle, 

 with an asinine cross over the regions of vener- 

 ation ; those draw longitudinal lines above the 



