PERSONAL ORNAMENTS. 
149 
that intended, and excited ridicule rather than reverence. 
The bar has not profited, however, by the good example of 
the church. The judge and barrister still cling to the wig, 
and, in spite of the ludicrous appearance they make, we see 
the youthful face surrounded by this imitation of venerable 
age. But even this is not thought sufficient. The Judge, 
when called upon to pronounce the sentence of death on a 
fellow creature, summons additional aid to give him, in that 
affecting moment, a more than usual amount of solemnity. 
The firm look of inexorable justice, is not thought sufficient 
to convey to the convicted felon a proper sense of his inevi¬ 
table doom. The Judge, therefore, gravely puts on a black 
cap to increase the effect. It is not many years ago since 
it was the fashion for both young and old to wear white 
powder on the head. This custom found general favor, even 
amongst the ladies themselves, as imparting a very aristocratic 
look to the wearer, and additional beauty to their fair locks. 
The very children themselves, in polite circles, made their 
appearance thus ornamented. 
The custom also of plastering up the hair, contrary to its 
grain, with pomatum, to give increased elevation and dignity 
to its fair wearer; and that of the gentleman, with his queue 
or pigtail, mark, not only the age, but the feeling, that the 
natural dignity of the human head required artificial aid to 
improve it, and the savage agrees with his civilized brother. 
Now that the custom has passed away, we can see the absurdity 
of it. The New Zealanders have not been behind the rest of 
the family of man in these particulars. They gave the preference 
to a red color, and plentifully anointed their heads with a 
mixture of ochre and oil, which certainly imparted to them a 
very remarkable look, the skull appearing as though it had 
been cleft, and was streaming down with gore. The general 
effect was heightened by a large tuft of albatross down, which 
was stuck in the lobe of each ear, and formed a fine contrast 
with the bright red. 
In former times, the chief ladies and gentlemen had their 
entire persons anointed, or painted, with ochre and oil ; this 
was considered both ornamental and useful, rendering the 
