he remnant of a more primitive
costume, perhaps the support of the antique fig-leaves.

"Out of the age of ornamentation nothing can be more untidy or more
unprepossessing than the appearance of the Oraon. The ornaments are
nearly all discarded, hair utterly neglected, and for raiment any
rags are used. This applies both to males and females of middle age.

24. Dress of women

"The dress of the women consists of one cloth, six yards long,
gracefully adjusted so as to form a shawl and a petticoat. The upper
end is thrown over the left shoulder and falls with its fringe and
ornamented border prettily over the back of the figure. Vast quantities
of red beads and a large, heavy brass ornament shaped like a _torque_
are worn round the neck. On the left hand are rings of copper,
as many as can be induced on each finger up to the first joint, on
the right hand a smaller quantity; rings on the second toe only of
brass or bell-metal, and anklets and bracelets of the same material
are also worn." The women wear only metal and not glass bangles, and
this with the three vertical tattoo-marks on the forehead and the fact
that the head and right arm are uncovered enables them to be easily
recognised. "The hair is made tolerably smooth and amenable by much
lubrication, and false hair or some other substance is used to give
size to the mass into which it is gathered not immediately behind,
but more or less on one side, so that it lies on the neck just behind
and touching the right ear; and flowers are arranged in a receptacle
made for them between the roll of hair and the head." Rings are worn
in the lobes of the ear, but not other ornaments. "When in dancing
costume on grand occasions they add to their head-dress plumes of
heron feathers, and a gay bordered scarf is tightly bound round the
upper part of the body."

25. Dances

"The tribe I am treating of are seen to best advantage at the great
national dance meetings called Jatras, which are held once a year at
convenient centres, generally large mango groves in the vicinity of old
villages. As a signal to the country round, the flags of each village
are brought out on the day fixed and set upon the road that leads
to the place of meeting. This incites the young men and maidens to
hurry through their morning's work and look up their _jatra_ dresses,
which are by no means ordinary attire. Those who have some miles to
go put up their finery in a bundle to keep it fresh