2. The Paddle, made of wood neatly shaped, and worked very smooth, used to strike the instruments No. 3 and 4, wherewith they indent or mark their skins, which they call Tataowing. It is about eighteen inches long.

3. and 4. Are their Tataowing Instruments, the handles of which are wood; towards the end of which is a hollow made to lay the fore-finger of the hand in which holds it: the head is made of one or two flat pieces of bone, of various breadths, tapering to a point towards the handle, to which it is fastened very tight with fibres of the bark of a tree: the broad part, or bottom, is cut into many small sharp teeth. When they mark any person, they dip the instrument, a small one or large one, according to the figure intended, into a black liquid, or juice, expressed from some plant, and, placing it on the part intended to be marked, give it a small blow with the paddle, which causes a great deal of pain. These instruments are about five inches in length.

Voyaging Accounts