THE SIGHTS OF SYDNEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2399, 22 February 1900, Page 65

THE SIGHTS OF SYDNEY.

By Cigarette

A MAN OF MARK.

Guess who it is! The Governor? No. The hangman? Wrong; give it up? Yes. Well, it is an individual named " Bennal,'' who carries the championship of the world in tattoo marks ! Eight hundred and seventeen separate designs accompany this man in- his walks abroad. He is a perambulating picture gallery, an. incarnate scrapbook. Of course, we wanted to see him. So, getting his address from a friend, we set out together for Lower George street. the Chinese quarter of Sydney. At a lowbrowed window spread with tattoo desigi^s we paused and looked in.

" But this is Ah Kin's,'" said Mabel, reading the inscription above the door.

" Yes, but read that card in the corner ■'The Tattooer is Upstairs.'"

Some girls were eyeing us askance. They evidently thought we were going to be tattooed.

But Mabel is bold as a lion. If it were possible, she would explore Hades itself in search of " copy."

'' Come along," she said, and in we walked to the evil-looking den, and passed through to a low doorway, where a grinning Chinainon barred the way. " Vat you want?"' he syid. '"We want to see the Tattoo Man.' "All li, you stay here. Me go fetch him." Presently John returned, accompanied by a young man with a fair moustache and sunburnt skin. " This Misser Bennal ; Igo way now," and John passed out into the s.treet. "Will you come upstairs?'" Said the Tattooer on hearing our business ; '" I will show you my books and instruments." Then turning the key in the lock, he bade us follow him. I looked at Mabel, but her ej'es said, " Come on, ' so through the low door we passed into a bare-looking room, from which rickety wooden stairs led up and down. A Chinese table was all the furniture.- " Fan-tan,'' whispered Mabel, as we climbed the steep staircase up to another bare room. There were no landings, the stairs led straight into rooms, which again opened into others. There was no furniture, no sign of life, jet theie was something sinister about tliose empty rooms, with their many exits. Up v c went again, another flight, until at la,->t our guide stopped and opened a door. Tins room was eloquent of the Tattooer's occupation. -Photographs of his chef d'eeuvres hung around the walls ; the ham;<n form dh me adorned with spread eagles, dragons, snakes, etc. Requesting us to fit down Mv Bennal brought out his books, and, spreading them on a table by the open window, he showed us his numerous designs. Japan is the headquarters of tattooing, and it was from a Japanese that he learnt the art. "What a strange thing to take up. What made you think of it?" I ask. "Oh, I was alv.ays fond of it ar> a boy at school," lie ansA\ ers, " and now I am .the only one in Australia that does it." Then he discouised on his art as one Avho loved it, explained to us the different kinds of dragons ; 'perhaps ;>'Ou do not know that a Chinese dragon has five claws and a Japanese only three ! " Are you kept very busy?" we ask. ' Oh, yes. I have plenty to do. If you had been a little earlier you would have seen me doing a Red Indian thirf morning." " What a pity we were not here !" we both exclaim ; then we remarked that our ideas of Rod Indians were of a- tattooed race. "Well, this one was tattooed in blue, but he wanted' red." "I suppose you have a great ninny sailors to do?" we oak. "Yes, "but I get all sorts, i did 20 of the contingent before they left." "What did they choose?" "Oh, mostly Ila^s and guns." "You will ha\c to muke uD^&orae fresh designs for them wlieu the,y

return, said Mabel. " Ostriches, Uattenedout Boers, and that sort of thing." He smiled. "Do you ever have any ladies to tattoo?" "Oh, yes,' bin- I go to their own houses to do it. They generally have a bee or a butterfly, or sometimes a Cupid," and he showed us the " ladies' favourites." "What do you charge for I'ie different designs?" "Well, it depends on the work. I can do them from 3s up to two or three guineas." Tur.iing over the pages of the books we came across some " In Memoriam " designs, and found that it was rather a popular idea among some folk to turn themselves into walking tombstones. " Perhaps you would like to see how i! is done,'' was his next suggestion. Of course we were most anxious to, so then he showed us how he traced the chosen design with coloured ink on the arm, then, stietching the skin very tightly, he pricks it out with an instrument set with ( six needles dipped in the colour chosen — red, blue, dlow. green, etc. After that he wyes larger needles. "Does it hint?' 1 I ; ask. "No, the pain is nothing, but some things Like longer than ethers. I've had some take seven months, and, turning back his coat c lceve, he showed us an elab nwtc design about his wmt. "If you don't mind my taking off my coat I could show you some more, he said. " Oh, take it off. by all means.'" we cried, find, rolling buck his "hirl sleeve, he displaced (lie most marvellous arm we had ever seen. Right up to the shoulder it was tattooed in a perfect mosaic of designs. There was not one lulf-ineh of the original colour of the flesh to bo seen. The result vas an almost perfect representation of French tapestry, the natural hair of the arm giving the requisite soft velvety appearance of the • material. There were figures and flowers, bees and butterflies, seipents, Cupids, milkmaids, dragons galore ; there was a dagger dropping gouts of blood thrust through the fleshy part of the arm, and coming out j ueyoud — a piece ol workmanship of which ; the owner was p.-utionlurly proud ; and alj mo^t hidden fiom view was a maiden's head, surrounded by the touching woid«, '' I love Emma." Lucky Emma (if she is not yet replaced), to be the owner of such an arm. After we had duly expressed our admiration the coat was leplaced, and its owner proudly related that he was " like that all ever from top to toe."' Then, " thaiiking him profusely for hi* courtesy, we descended the rickety stairs, and, unlocking the door, he bowed us out.