[Captain Cook’s Journal During the First Voyage Round the World by James Cook]@TWC D-Link bookCaptain Cook’s Journal During the First Voyage Round the World CHAPTER 3 86/116
This distemper, I believe, runs in familys, because I have seen both mother and Child have it. Both sexes paint their Bodys, Tattow, as it is called in their Language. This is done by inlaying the Colour of Black under their skins, in such a manner as to be indelible.
Some have ill-design'd figures of men, birds, or dogs; the women generally have this figure Z simply on every joint of their fingers and Toes; the men have it likewise, and both have other differant figures, such as Circles, Crescents, etc., which they have on their Arms and Legs; in short, they are so various in the application of these figures that both the quantity and Situation of them seem to depend intirely upon the humour of each individual, yet all agree in having their buttocks covered with a Deep black.
Over this Most have Arches drawn one over another as high as their short ribs, which are near a Quarter of an inch broad.
These Arches seem to be their great pride, as both men and Women show them with great pleasure. Their method of Tattowing I shall now describe.
The colour they use is lamp black, prepar'd from the Smoak of a Kind of Oily nut, used by them instead of Candles.
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