270 
CRUISE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER , 
of similar character were hung round their neck and 
in their ears, which in some cases were dragged down 
to such an extent that the lower tips of the lobes 
were within a few inches of resting on their shoulders. 
The septum of the nose was pierced, and from it was 
suspended a number of teeth of the dog, or cuscus, 
strung on a fibre (hanging in front of their mouth), or 
a long piece of bone was reeved through from side to 
side. Human arm-bones, covered with feathers, &c., 
of the cassowary, hung down their backs. They 
were in most eases painted over the body, with 
pigments probably made from pounded charcoal, 
mixed with cocoa-nut oil, or lime made from burnt 
shell. 
The particular vanity of these people, especially 
the men, was their hair, which was usually frizzled 
up into mop-like shape, or tied in some fantastic style 
on the top of the head, and coloured with a red clay 
and oil. Nearly all carried in their hair a comb pro- 
jecting in front or on one side, usually made of wood, 
about a foot in length, with six very long, slightly 
diverging, needle-shaped teeth ; the handle usually 
decorated with feathers and long streamers. Both 
sexes had their shoulders and arms roughly tattooed. 
They appeared to be much astonished at our white 
complexion, which they at first took for the effect of 
white paint ; nor were they satisfied on this point for 
some time (not until they had actually felt and seen 
closely). This would almost confirm the supposition 
