The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VI. Being the Second of the Third VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VI. Being the Second of the Third Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
Thus far of their ordinary dress and ornaments; but they have some that
seem to be used only on extraordinary occasions; either when they
exhibit themselves as strangers, in visits of ceremony, or when they go
to war. Amongst the first may be considered the skins of animals, such
as wolves or bears, tied on in the usual manner, but ornamented at the
edges with broad borders of fur, or of the woollen stuff manufactured by
them, ingeniously wrought with various figures. These are worn either
separately, or over their other common garments. On such occasions, the
most common head-dress is a quantity of withe, or half-beaten bark,
wrapped about the head; which, at the same time, has various large
feathers, particularly those of eagles, stuck in it, or is entirely
covered, or, we may say, powdered with small white feathers. The face,
at the same time, is variously painted, having its upper and lower parts
of different colours, the strokes appearing like fresh gashes; or it is
besmeared with a kind of tallow, mixed with paint, which is afterward
formed into a great variety of regular figures, and appears like carved
work. Sometimes, again, the hair is separated into small parcels, which
are tied at intervals of about two inches, to the end, with thread; and
others tie it together, behind, after our manner, and stick branches of
the _cupressus thyoides_ in it. Thus dressed, they have a truly savage
and incongruous appearance; but this is much heightened, when they
assume what may be called their monstrous decorations. These consist of
an endless variety of carved wooden masks or vizors, applied on the
face, or to the upper part of the head or forehead. Some of these
resemble human faces, furnished with hair, beards, and eye-brows;
others, the heads of birds, particularly of eagles and quebrantahuessos;
and many, the heads of land and sea animals, such as wolves, deer, and
porpoises, and others. But, in general, these representations much
exceed the natural size; and they are painted, and often strewed with
pieces of the foliaceous _mica_, which makes them glitter, and serves to
augment their enormous deformity. They even exceed this sometimes, and
fix on the same part of the head large pieces of carved work, resembling
the prow of a canoe, painted in the same manner, and projecting to a
considerable distance. So fond are they of these disguises, that I have
seen one of them put his head into a tin kettle he had got from us, for
want of another sort of mask. Whether they use these extravagant
masquerade ornaments on any particular religious occasion, or diversion,
or whether they be put on to intimidate their enemies when they go to
battle, by their monstrous appearance; or as decoys when they go to hunt
animals, is uncertain. But it may be concluded, that, if travellers or
voyagers, in an ignorant and credulous age, when many unnatural or
marvellous things were supposed to exist, had seen a number of people
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