687 
ON THE LEADING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 
leaf in the orifice which by its elasticity enlarges it to a sufficient size 
to admit the thigh bone of a large bird, or some other ornament, 
which is then worn extending across the face on all great occasions. 
Our sailors have a very quaint name for this practice, which often 
comes under their observation among the Papuan islands of the 
Pacific j they call it u sprit-sail yarding,” after a cruel method they 
have of treating sharks and dog fish, which are frequently let go 
after having been hooked, a piece of wood being previously thrust 
through their nostrils, which projecting on either side, prevents them 
from getting their heads under water, and they die a lingering and 
painful death. I have never met with, or heard of, this practice 
of boring the nose among people of the Malayu-Polynesian race, 
and I may say the same with regard to the scarifications mentioned 
above. The latter, or rather those among them who are sufficiently 
barbarous to resort to personal disfigurement, seem to have adopted 
tatooing and boring the ears in lieu of the more coarse and painful 
ornamental work of the Papuans. 
Filing or grinding down the front teeth until they become pointed 
is practiced by some of the tribes of New Guinea and of the ad¬ 
jacent islands of the Pacific. This custom however, is not confined 
exclusively to the Papuans, as it is practised also at the Pagi islands, 
on the west coast of Sumatra, the natives of which appear to be 
Malayu-Polynesians. This custom must not be confounded with 
one which is common among many of the Malayan and Bugis 
tribes, that of grinding down the front teeth until they become 
almost level with the gum. 
Another singular custom which is only met with among the 
Papuans, or the tribes closely bordering on them, is that of dyeing 
the hair (which is naturally black) a reddish or flaxen colour, by 
using applications of burnt coral and sea-water in some instances, 
and preparations of wood ashes in others. This process seems to 
expel all the dark colour from the hair, leaving it a flaxen tinge 
which appears to bear a close resemblance to the celebrated “ea- 
pillus Havas’ so much admired among the Roman ladies and which 
seems to have been produced by a similar process. The only 
Malayu-Polynesians that I have known to practice this custom are 
some of the natives of Timor Laut, Sermattan, and Baba, (islands 
lying to the westward of New Guinea and not very remote.) I am 
therefore induced to consider it as a Papuan, or rather, perhaps, 
as a “Negro” custom, for it is equally prevalent in many parts of 
Africa, especially among the Soumaulis, and other tribes in their 
neighbourhood. Travellers who have had opportunities of visiting 
our post at Aden in the course of their voyages between Europe and 
India by the overland route, may have observed this custom among 
the African coolies employed in coaling the steamer, who some 
times appear with the plaster of coral still attached to their heads. 
The Papuans, for the most part, exist only in a savage state, 
deriving a scanty subsistance from the productions of nature, living 
