Australia, its history and present condition: containing an account both of the bush and of the colonies,; with their respective inhabitantsPridden, W. (William)
History
Australia, its history and present condition: containing an account both of the bush and of the colonies,; with their respective inhabitants
Pridden, W. (William)
Australia -- Description and travel
some such precaution, it would have been impossible to have knocked out
the tooth, without breaking the jaw-bone. A stick was then cut with much
ceremony out of some hard wood, and when the gum of the patient was
properly prepared, the smallest end of the stick was applied to the top
of the tooth, while the operator stood ready with a large stone, as
though about to drive the tooth down the throat of the youth. Here a
certain attention to the number three, which had been before shown, was
again noticed, for no stroke was actually made, until three attempts to
hit the stick had taken place; and, notwithstanding repeated blows, so
firmly was the tooth of the first boy fixed in his gum, that it was full
ten minutes before it was forced out. The sufferer was then removed, his
gum was closed, and he was dressed out in a new style, with a girdle, in
which was stuck a wooden sword, and with a bandage round his head, while
his left hand was placed over his mouth, and he was not allowed to
speak, nor, during that day, to eat. In this manner were all the others
treated, except one only, who could not endure the pain of more than one
blow with the stone, and, breaking away from his tormentors, he managed
to make his escape. During the whole operation a hideous noise was kept
up around the patients, with whom, generally, it seemed to be a point of
honour to endure this pain without a single murmur. Having once gone
through this strange ceremony, they were henceforth admitted into the
company and privileges of the class of men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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