The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-29

Both men and women stained themselves In the
same manner with lampblack. and with q sim
liar instrument TO that employed by the South
Sea Islanders. Unlike the latter, however, tho
Maoris tattooed their faces as well as their
bodies. Tho women. indeed, were generally
content with having their lips black, but the
men dug deep burrows on their faces, the
edges of which were often indeptod. This
was done to make them look frirhtful
in war. and It certainly had the effect
OF making them extremely ugly. The buttocks.
which in the South Sea Islands were the
principal seat ot tattooing. escaped un-
touched among the Maoris. Tho latter. how
ever. besides tattooing themselves black. were
fond OF painting themselves with red ochre.
This they either rubbed dry upon their skins or
daubed their faces vii. large patches of 1t
mixed with oil. Tho latter method was goner-
ally practised by the women. and was not, Sir
Joseph adds. universally condemned by the
English visitors. For, IL any of them had un-
thinkingly ravished q kiss from one OF the fair
savages, his transgression was written In most
legible characters on his nose.
The common dress of the Maoris, as Sir
Joseph saw II in 1870, presented one OF the most
uncouth and extraordinary sights imaginable,
1t was made OF the leaves OF q species of flag ths
Now Zealand fax, each leaf being split into
three or four slips: these, as soon as they were
dry. were woven into a kind OF. stuff half way
between netting and cloth. out Of the upper side
of which all the ends. eight or nine inches long.
were suffered to hang in the same manner as
thrums out of q thrum-mat. OF these pieces of
cloth two served for a complete dress: one was
tied over the shoulders and reached about to the
knees; the other was tied about the waist and
reached to near the ground. They seldom wore
more than one Of those. however, and, when
they had It on, rescmbled. not a little. a matched
house. This curious species Of cloth was
well adapted to shed tho rain, ms every
strip OF leaf served for q kind OF gutter.
Sir Joseph adds that the men always wore short
boards. and tied their hnlr In a small knot on
the top OF their heads. sticking into It II kind of
comb, and, ut the top. two or three white feath-
ers. The women, contrary to the custom OF tho
sex In general. seemed to affect rather essdress
than the men. Their hair, which they wore
short, was seldom tied, and when 1t was. was
tied behind their heads. and never orna-
mented with feathers. Their clothes, rs we
have said, were Of the same stuff and OF the
same form as those OF the men. Both sexes
bored their ears and wore In them a great va
riety of ornaments. They also hung from their
ears by strings very many useful or valuable
implements. such as a ohisel and bodkin, made
Of a kind of green tale: also dogs teeth. or the
nails and teeth Of n deceased relation. The wo-
y hHisO oOElotlnts wore DrRCeletS anu nklcIS
made OF the bones of birds or shells. and the
men often carried the figure of a distorted man
made of green tale, or the tooth of q whale cut
slantwise so as to resemble q tongue.
Water was found to be the universal drink of
the Maoris. nor did Sir Joseph Banks see any
signs of any intoxicating beverage being known
to them. Their food. in tho use of which they
were moderate. consisted chiefly OF dogs,
birds-especially sea ~fowl-fsh.s sweet potatoes.
yams. cocos. some few wild plants, like palm
cabbage, but, above all. the root of q kind Of
fern which seemed to be to them what bread Is
to us. Cannibals, as We have said. they were.
but. touching this subject, Sir Joseph remarks:
"As for the flesh OF man. although they GER
ta!nly do eat II, / cannot, In my own opinion.
debase human nature so much as to imagine
that they relish II as q dainty or even look upon
it as common food. Thirst for revenge may
drive men to great length when their passions
are allowed to take their full swing. Yet
nature. through all the superior part OF tho
creation, shows how much she recotls at tho
thought of any species preying upon itself.
Dogs and cats show visible signs of disgust at
the very sight OF a dead carcass of their own
species; even wolves or bears are said never to
cessity. when the stines OF hunger have over
come the precepts of nature. in which case the
same has been done BY the Inhabitants of the
most civilized nations
We must refer the reader to this remarka-
BILE Journal for tho account of Australia, and OF
the voyage thence to the Dutch West Indies. in
the course OF which a landing was made on the
coast OF New Guinea. A whole chapter is de-
voted to the state Of things in Java. where the
Dutch had already begun to establish o great
island empire.