364 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [October, 



women divided the umbilical cord and warned the child, which the 

 mother readily permitted, although the other natives ftrongly ob- 

 jected to it. The poor creature appeared much exhaufted. 



Ben-nil-long's wife, a few hours after (he had been delivered of a 

 child, was feen walking about alone and picking up flicks to mend 

 her fire. The infant, whofe fkin appeared to have a reddiili carl, was 

 lying in a piece of foft bark on the ground. 



The child thus produced is by the mother carried about for fome 

 days on a piece of foft bark, and, as foon as it acquires ftrength enough,, 

 is removed to the moulders, where it fits with its little legs acrofs 

 her neck; and, taught by neceffity, foon catches hold of her hair to- 

 prefer ve itfelf from falling. 



The reddifh caft of the ikin foon gives place to the natural hue ; a? 

 change that is much affifled by the fraoke and dirt in which, from the 

 moment of their exigence, thefe little wretches are nurtured. The 

 parents begin early to decorate them after the cuftom of the country ; 

 for as foon as the hair of the head can be taken hold of, fifh- bones 

 and teeth of animals are fattened to it with gum. White clay orna- 

 ments their little limbs ; and the females fufFer the extraordinary am- 

 putation which they term Mal-gun before they have quitted their feat 

 on their mother's moulders. 



At about a month or fix weeks old the child receives its name. 

 This is generally taken from fome of the objects conftantly before their 

 eyes, fuch as a bird, a beaft, or a filh, and is given without any cere- 

 mony. 



From their earlier! infancy the boys are accuftomed to throwing the 

 fpear, and to the habit of defending themfelves from it. They begin 

 by throwing reeds at each other, and are foon very expert. They 

 alfo, from the time when they can run, until prompted by manhood 

 to realize their fports, amufe themfelves with ftealing the females, and 

 treat them at this time very little better than they do then. 



Between the ages of eight and fixteen, the males and females un- 

 dergo the operation which they term Gna-noong, viz. that of having 



the 



