ok out was a boy of about ten years of age: he
was seated on the shoulders of another native who sat on the grass, as
appears in this Plate.

The bone was now produced which had been pretended to be taken from the
stomach of the native the preceding evening; this, being made very sharp
and fine at one end, was used for lancing the gum, and but for some such
precaution it would have been impossible to have got out the tooth
without breaking the jaw-bone. A throwing-stick was now to be cut about
eight or ten inches from the end; and to effect this, much ceremony was
used. The stick was laid upon a tree, and three attempts to hit it were
made before it was struck. The wood being very hard, and the instrument a
bad tomahawk, it took several blows to divide it; but three feints were
constantly made before each stroke. When the gum was properly prepared,
the operation began; the smallest end of the stick was applied as high up
on the tooth as the gum would admit of, while the operator stood ready
with a large stone apparently to drive the tooth down the throat of his
patient. Here their attention to the number three was again manifest; no
stroke was actually made until the operator had thrice attempted to hit
the throwing-stick. They were full ten minutes about this first
operation, the tooth being, unfortunately for the boy, fixed very firm in
the gum. It was at last forced out, and the sufferer was taken away to a
little distance, where the gum was closed by his friends, who now
equipped him in the style he was to appear in for some days. A girdle was
tied round his waist, in which was stuck a wooden sword; a ligature was
put round his head, in which were stuck slips of the grass-gum tree,
which, being white, had a curious and not unpleasing effect. The left
hand was to be placed over the mouth, which was to be kept shut; he was
on no account to speak; and for that day he was not to eat.

In like manner were all the others treated, except one, a pretty boy
about eight or nine years of age, who, after suffering his gum to be
lanced, could not endure the pain of more than one blow with the stone,
and breaking from them made his escape.

During the whole of the operation the assistants made the most hideous
noise in the ears of the patients*, sufficient to distract their
attention, and to drown any cries they could possibly have uttered; but
they made it a point of honour to bear the pain without a murmur.

[* Crying e-wah