SCALPING. All Hindus retain only the tuft of hair on the crown of their heads, which is familiar to Europeans from the pictures and descriptions of the Indians of North America, as the scalp-tuft, the most glorious trophy, if not the sole reward of their victor. The Hindu practice of wearing this scalping tuft, Shik'ha, SANSK., d'Zutu, TEL., Kudi mai, TAm. was doubtless brought with them from Scythia ; for, like the Indians of North America, the Scythians cleaned the scalp and hung it to their horses' bridles. Scalpino is generally supposed to be a peculiarly Nor& American practice that originated in High arid North-Eastern Asia. But the father of history says, Of the first enemy a Scythian sends down, he quaffs the blood ; he carries the heads of all that he has slain in battle to the king ; for when he has brought a head, he is entitled to a share of the booty that may be taken,—not other wise ; to skin the head, he makes a circular in cision from ear to ear, and then, laying hold of the crown, shakes out the skull ; after scraping off the flesh with an ox's rib, he rumples it between his hands, and, having thus softened the skin, makes use of it as a napkin ; he appends it to the bridle of the horse he rides, and ptides himself on this, for the Scythian that has 'most of these skin napkins is adjudged the best man, etc. They also use the
skulls for drinking-cups.' The Abbe Em. Domenech (Seven Years' Resi dence in the Great Deserts of North America, xxxix.) quotes the decalvare of the ancient Ger mans, the capillos et eutem detrahere of the code of the Visigoths, and the annals of Elude, which prove that the Anglo-Saxons and the Franks still scalped about A.D. 879. Abbe Domenech relates a conversation between two warriors.—Is it a chief who speaks to Mahto-totia? See the scalp which hangs from the bit of my horse, answered the Scheyenne. The scalp fastened to the extremity of a pole was placed in the conqueror's cabin ; and on days of parade or battle, in front of tho cabin. The chiefs suspend it to their horses' bridles. SCAM MON Y.
Stikmoonia, . . AllAB. l'urgirwindo, . GEM.
SCIMMODiUM, DA. Du.Sw. Scammouoa, . .
Sam-T=0110o, . . . FR. Nuys . . Res.
Sicammonien, . . GEB. Escamonea, Scaminony, the Sukinoonia of the Arabs, is found in the bazars of India ; it is tho product of Convolvulus scammonia, a native of Syria, the Levant, and Gujerat. The most abundant harvest of scaminony is in Sinyrna and Aleppo. There are several modes of collection, which give rise to corresponding commercial varieties.