go to school nor church."

"They wears no clothin'," rejoined Disco, "'cause they don't need for to
do so; an' they don't go to church or school, 'cause they hain't got
none to go to--that same bein' not the fault o' the niggers, but o' them
as knows better."

"There's truth in what you say, Disco," returned Harold, with a smile,
"but come, you must admit that there is something savage in the custom
they have of wearing these hideous lip-rings."

The custom to which he referred is one which prevails among several of
the tribes of Africa, and is indeed so utterly hideous and outrageous
that we should be justified in refusing to believe it, were we not
assured of the fact by Dr Livingstone and other missionaries and
travellers of unquestionable integrity. The ring is worn in the upper
lip, not hanging from it but fitted into a hole in it in such a manner
as to thrust the lip straight and far out from the face. As the ring is
about the size of an ordinary napkin-ring, it may be easily believed,
that time is required for the formation of the deformity. At an early
age the middle of the upper lip of a girl is pierced close to the nose,
and a small pin introduced to prevent the hole closing up. After it is
healed the pin is taken out and a larger one forced into its place, and
so for weeks, months, and years the process of increasing the size of
the lip goes on, until a ring of two inches in diameter can be
introduced. Nearly all the women in these parts use this ring, or, as
it is called, pelele. Some make them of bamboo, others of ivory or tin.
When a wearer of the pelele smiles, the action of the cheek muscles
draws the lip tight which has the effect of raising the ring towards the
eyebrows, so that the nose is seen in the middle of it, and the teeth
are exposed, a revelation which shows that the latter have been chipped
to sharp points so as to resemble the teeth of a cat or crocodile.

"No doubt," said Disco, in reply to Harold's remark, "the lip-rings are
uncommon ugly, but the principle o' the thing, sir, that's w'ere it is,
the principle ain't no wuss than ear-rings. The savages, as we calls
'em, bores holes in their lips an' sticks rings into 'em. The civilised
folk, as we calls ourselves, bores holes in their ears an' sticks rings
into 'em. W'ere's the difference? that's wot _I_ want to know."

"There's not much difference in principle," said Harold, laughing, "but
there is a great difference in appeara