It Is, Nevertheless, Very Different, Though Both Coarser And
Stronger Than Ours.
Some, who wear it long, tie it up on the crown of the
head; others suffer only a large
Lock to grow on each side, which they tie
up in clubs; many others, as well as all the women, wear it cropped short.
These rough heads, most probably, want frequent scratching; for which
purpose they have a most excellent instrument. This is a kind of comb made
of sticks of hard wood, from seven to nine or ten inches long, and about
the thickness of knitting-needles. A number of these, seldom exceeding
twenty, but generally fewer, is fastened together at one end, parallel to,
and near one-tenth of an inch from each other. The other ends, which are a
little pointed, will spread out or open like the sticks of a fan, by which
means they can beat up the quarters of an hundred lice at a time. These
combs or scratchers, for I believe they serve both purposes, they always
wear in their hair, on one side their head. The people of Tanna have an
instrument of this kind for the same use; but theirs is forked, I think,
never exceeding three or four prongs; and sometimes only a small pointed
stick. Their beards, which are of the same crisp nature as their hair, are,
for the most part, worn short. Swelled and ulcerated legs and feet are
common among the men; as also a swelling of the scrotum.
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