oy with his head upon his breast, and his hands
clasped together. In a few minutes, after a greater degree of mystery
and preparation than had been before observed, the youthful band was
brought forward to a place where a number of human beings were seen
lying with their faces to the ground, as if they were dead, and in front
of these was a man seated on a stump of a tree, bearing another man upon
his shoulders, both having their arms extended, while two men, in a like
attitude, were seen also behind the group of prostrate figures. These
first two men made most hideous faces for a few minutes, and then the
lads were led over the bodies lying on the ground, which moved and
writhed, as though in great agony; after which the same strange grimaces
were repeated by the two men who were placed on the further side of the
apparently dead bodies. All the information that could be gained of the
meaning of this, was, that it would make them brave men; that they would
see well and fight well. Then followed a sort of martial exercise with
spear and shield, in the presence of the future warriors, to signify to
them what was to be one great business of their lives--the use of the
spear; and, when this was finished, the preparations for striking out
the tooth commenced. The first subject of this barbarous operation was
chosen, and seated upon the shoulders of a native, who himself sat down
upon the grass; and then the bone was produced, which had cost so much
apparent pain to procure the evening before, and which was made very
sharp and fine at one end, for the purpose of lancing the gum. But for
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
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