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37
on the arms. Exceptionally among the women, Hislop
has noticed "armlets" formed of small component vertical
scars. [sketch of arm with "armlet" in margin]
52. Clothing. is conspicuous by its absence, and there is no
covering for the privates, though the women sometimes
wear a fringed apron-belt, but this has been introduced
of late years from the Normanby blacks.
53. Personal Ornament. Nothing is worn to show rank (except
perhaps the feather-tufts of the leader in inter-tribal battle -
sect. 37), station, or virginity. The hairs of the head and
beard used to be cut with quartz-crystal in the old days:
they don't like long beards, and in former times would
pull them out hair by hair.
(a) head. The forehead ornament, or fillet ^formed of a number
of ^square pieces of square nautilus shell, pierced, and threaded,
the string being tied at the back of the head. By the
women is sometimes worn round the neck. It is called
the jǐl-gnǔr. [sketch of jǐl-gnǔr]
The nose-pin is made either from the unfertilised flower
stalk of the Banksia (honeysuckle), or from a bone,
or from a piece of shell: - in the last case it is half-moon
shaped, projecting to almost 4 inches on either side of the
nostril.
(b.) neck. Grass- or seed-bugles threaded on strings
are worn as necklaces
(c) chest. There is a shell chest-ornament, mēl-brǎ,
cut out from the rounded portion of the nautilus,
which is sometimes worn. It is also used as a spoon
on occasion. Mourning-strings ^(sect. 4) are also often employed as ornaments.
(d) arms. Armlets made of a pandanus leaf sewn
across are often used. [sketch of arm with armlet in margin]
(e) stomach. The women wear a continuous ring of
hair or fibre rope around the stomach: commonly
met with on the older ones, and those who have suf-
fered any trouble over a late accouchement, though[end of page]