and the Mpongwe . 
69 
disposed in parallel ridges, with a deep hollow be¬ 
tween ; or it is treble, when the two lines of parting 
running along the mastoids make it remarkably 
like bears’ ears, the central prism rises high, and 
the side hair is plaited into little pig-tails. Others 
again train four parallel lines from nape to forehead, 
forming two cushions along the parietals. The 
crest is heightened by padding, and the whole of 
the hair is devoted to magnifying it,—at a distance, 
some of the bushwomen look as if they wore 
cocked hats. When dreaded baldness appears, 
rosettes of false hair patch the temples, and plaits 
of purchased wigs are interwoven to increase the 
bulk : the last resources of all are wigs and tou- 
pets of stained pine-apple fibre. The comb is 
unknown, its succedaneum being a huge bodkin, like 
that which the Trasteverina has so often used as 
a stiletto. This instrument of castigation is made 
of ivory or metal, with a lozenge often neatly 
carved and ornamented at the handle. The hair, 
always somewhat “ kinky,” is anointed every morn¬ 
ing with palm-oil, or the tallow-like produce of a 
jungle-nut; and, in full dress, it is copiously pow¬ 
dered with light red or bright yellow dust of 
pounded camwood, redwood, and various barks. 
The ears are adorned with broad rings of native 
make, and, near the trading stations, with French imi¬ 
tation jewellery. The neck supports many strings 
of beads, long and short, with the indispensable 
