TATTOOING FEMALES. 
343 
such good effect to the thighs of the old lady who 
held her down, that the latter was compelled to re- 
lease her grasp, and the poor girl got up, vowing she 
would not have another incision made. Of course 
all resistance would have been futile, or probably 
have only brought down a fearful chastisement upon 
her if she had been alone with her tribe in the bush ; 
but she took advantage of my presence, and escaped 
with nearly one-third of the incisions deficient. At 
this ceremony many other natives of both sexes, and 
of all ages were standing looking on ; but so little did 
they commiserate the poor creature’s sufferings, that 
the degree of her pain only seemed to be the measure 
of their laughter and merriment. 
The girls, however, are always anxious to have 
this ceremony performed, as a well tattooed back is 
considered a great addition to their other charms, 
and whenever I have offered to protect them from 
the cruelty of their tribe for refusing to submit to it, 
they have invariably preferred submitting to the 
operation. 
The only other ceremonies undergone by the 
females, are those of having the belly or arms tat- 
tooed, and of having the hair plucked from the 
pubes after the death of a child, and sometimes from 
other causes. 
In the mode of disposing of the dead, and the 
ceremonials attending it, there is a difference in 
almost every tribe. Among the Adelaide natives, as 
soon as a person dies, a loud wailing cry is raised by 
