MANNER OF PERFORMING IT. 149 
purpose, and are most amply rewarded for their 
services. Each man thinks himself, and is thought 
by others, to be more brave if he submits boldly 
and unflinchingly to the taps of the tattooing in- 
strument : and not a few imagine that it adds to 
their beauty, and submit to it that they may be 
followed and admired by the women. The fe- 
males have little more than a few scattered marks 
about their face and person. The operation is 
performed as follows : — When any one is desirous 
of being tattooed, he lies down, with his head 
beween the legs of the operator, and his feet 
against something firm, for the purpose of pres- 
sure. The lines upon his face are then traced 
out with a piece of charcoal; these marks are, 
however, soon effaced by the streams of blood 
flowing from the wounds : the blood is constantly 
wiped away with a little dressed flax, tied upon 
the fore-finger of the left-hand. The incisions 
are made with a small chisel, of very rough work- 
manship. It is held in the left-hand ; and a light 
tap is given it with a small mallet, which, together 
with the colouring matter, is held in the right- 
hand ; the chisel, after each wound, being dipped 
in the pigment, which is merely the root of the 
flax burnt to charcoal, reduced to powder, and 
mixed with water. So intense is the pain, and so 
great the inflammation that quickly succeeds the 
operation, that only very small portions can be 
done at one time : and it is seldom that any New 
Zealander is fully tattooed on all those parts of 
