254

SURGICAL SKILL

the tatloxc, known by distinct names, and theindividual may choose which he likes. Ontheir brown skins the tattow has a black ap-pearance, on the skin of an European a fineblue appearance. This operation causes thatportion of the skin on which it is performed toremain permanently thicker. During the timethat it is performed, but sometimes not for twoor three months afterwards, swellings of theinguinal glands take place, and which almostalways suppurate : sometimes they are openedwith a shell before they point, which is consi-dered the best treatment; at other times theyare allowed to take their course. We need notwonder at the absorbents becoming so muchaffected when we consider the extent of surfacewhich is subjected to this painful operation ;even the glans penis and the verge of the anusdo not escape. It is considered very unmanlynot to be tattowed, so that there is nobody butwhat submits to it as soon as he is grown up.The women are not subjected to it, though afew of them choose to have some marks on theinside of their fingers. The men would thinkit very indecent not to be tattowed, becausethough in battle they wear nothing but themaki, they appear by this means to be dressed,without having the incumbrance of clothing*.

* I have seen two instances of the Tonga tatt6w, in Jere-miah Higgins, and in Thomas Dawson, both of the Fort au