Le Brun also refers (Lavater, vol. ix. p. 299) to the hands of an
astonished man being opened.
There is another little gesture, expressive of astonishment
of which I can offer no explanation; namely, the hand being placed
over the mouth or on some part of the head. This has been observed
with so many races of man, that it must have some natural origin.
A wild Australian was taken into a large room full of official papers,
which surprised him greatly, and he cried out, _cluck, cluck, cluck_,
putting the back of his hand towards his lips. Mrs. Barber says
that the Kafirs and Fingoes express astonishment by a serious look
and by placing the right hand upon the mouth, Littering the word _mawo_,
which means `wonderful.' The Bushmen are said[13] to put their
right hands to their necks, bending their heads backwards.
Mr. Winwood Reade has observed that the negroes on the West Coast
of Africa, when surprised, clap their hands to their mouths,
saying at the same time, "My mouth cleaves to me," i. e. to my hands;
and he has heard that this is their usual gesture on such occasions.
Captain Speedy informs me that the Abyssinians place their right hand
to the forehead, with the palm outside.
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