Africa . a more compact muscular development, much longerupper thigh-bones, and a broader cranium. Their hairis short, crisp, and woolly, but little attention is paid to itsdecoration. The men always wear an apron of skin or some wovenfabric made fast with a cord round the loins, while thewomen bind herbs or foliage round their hips; the rest ofthe body is mostly left ex-posed, even the head-dress ofplumage being worn only onfestive occasions ; but bothsexes display a great love offinery, such as glass beadsworn in strings round theneck. The Bongo women arealso distinguished by a pecu-liar ado
Africa . a more compact muscular development, much longerupper thigh-bones, and a broader cranium. Their hairis short, crisp, and woolly, but little attention is paid to itsdecoration. The men always wear an apron of skin or some wovenfabric made fast with a cord round the loins, while thewomen bind herbs or foliage round their hips; the rest ofthe body is mostly left ex-posed, even the head-dress ofplumage being worn only onfestive occasions ; but bothsexes display a great love offinery, such as glass beadsworn in strings round theneck. The Bongo women arealso distinguished by a pecu-liar adornment. Soon aftertheir marriage they begin tobore the under lip, and byintroducing wooden plugs,gradually expand it to fiveor six times its natural upper lip is also pierced,and a copper nail or a ring attached to it. Nor do thenostrils escape, each of them being generally stuck withfrom one to three little straws, while a copper ring isinserted in the perforated cartilage of the nose, as in the. BONGO WOMAN, 234 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGKAPHY AND TEAVEL. case of buffaloes and bulls to render them more manage-able. The upper arm, breast, and stomach, also, aretattooed; so that altogether the outward appearance of aBongo woman does not quite correspond to our ideas ofgrace and loveliness. The adults become so excessivelycorpulent that the contrast between them and the thin,sinewy bodies of the men produces the greatest astonish-ment in strangers. Even well-to-do Bongo men marry at the most threewives only, while the poor content themselves with bridegroom purchases his bride from her father gener-ally for ten iron plates weighing two pounds each, andtwenty spear-heads ; but elderly females may be hadat a lower price. Marriages thus contracted are easilydissolved, the husband having always the option of send-ing his wife back to her father; though divorce seldomtakes place except on the ground of sterility, for, as arule, their unions are blessed with a numerous offspr
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidafricakeith0, bookyear1884
