frame, as to render their confequences liable to be tranfmitted to pofterity in their full force.

The fmall fize of the inhabitants, and efpecially of the women, may be in fome measure owing to the early communication between the fexes; though, as the inclinations which lead to this intercourfe are prompted here by nature fooner than in cold climates, it is not unfair to fuppofe that being proportioned to the period of maturity, this is alfo fooner attained, and confequently that the earlier ceffation of growth of thefe people, is agreeable to the laws of their conftitution, and not occafioned by a premature and irregular appetite.

Perfons of fuperior rank encou rage the growth of their handnails, particularly thofe of the fore and little fingers, to an extraordinary length; frequently tinging them red, with the expreffed juice of a fhrub called eeni; as they do the nails of their feet alfo, to which, being always uncovered, they pay as much attention as to their hands. The hands of the natives, and even of the half breed, are always cold to the touch; which I cannot account for other wife than by a fuppofition, that from the lefs degree of elasticity in the folids, occafioned by the heat of the climate, the internal action of the body, by which the fluids are put in motion, is less vigorous, the circulation is proportionably languid, and of courfe the diminished effect is moft perceptible in the extremities, and a coldness there is the natural confequence.

The natives of the hills, through the whole extent of the island, are

fubject to those monftrous wens from the throat, which have been obferved of the Vallai fans, and the inhabitants of other mountainous diftricts in Europe. It has been ufual to attribute this affection to the badness, thawed state, mineral quality, or other peculiarity of the waters; many skilful men having applied themfelves to the investigation of the fubject. My experience enables me to pronounce without hefitation, that the diforder, for fuch it is, though it appears here to mark a diftin&t race of people (orang goonong), is immediately connected with the hillinefs of the country, and of course, if the circumftances of the water they use contribute thereto, it must be only fo far as the nature of the water is affected by the inequality or height of the land. But on Sumatra neither fnow nor other congelation is ever produced, which militates against the moft plaufible conjecture that has been adopted concerning the Alpine goitres. From every research that I have been enabled to make, I think I have reafon to conclude, that the complaint is owing, among the Sumatrans, to the fogginefs of the air in the vallies between the high mountains, where, and not on the fummits, the natives of thefe parts refide. I before remarked, that between the ranges of hills, the caboot or denfe mist was visible for feveral hours every morning; rifing in a thick, opaque and well defined body, with the fun, and feldom quite difperfed till after noon. This phænomenon, as well as that of the wens, being peculiar to the regions of the hills, affords a prefumption that they may

be

be ascertained that no fuch custom prevails. Their complexion is properly yellow, wanting the red tinge that conftitutes a tawny or copper colour. They are in general lighter than the Meftees, or half breed, of the rest of India; those of the fuperior clafs, who are not expofed to the rays of the fun, and particularly their women of rank, approaching to a great degree of fairness. Did beauty confift in this one quality, fome of them would furpafs our brunettes in Europe. The major part of the females are ugly, and many of them even to difguft, yet there are those among them, whofe appearance is ftrikingly beautiful; whatever compofition of perfon, features, and complexion, that fentiment may be the refult of.

The fairness of the Sumatrans, comparatively with other Indians, fituated as they are, under a perpendicular fun, where no season of the year affords an alternative of cold, is, I think, an irrefragable proof, that the difference of colour in the various inhabitants of the earth, is not the immediate effect of climate. The children of Eu

ropeans born in this ifland are as fair, and perhaps in general fairer, than those born in the country of their parents. I have obferved the fame of the fecond generation, where a mixture with the people of the country has been avoided. On the other hand, the offspring

and all the defcendants of the Guinea and other African flaves imported there, continue in the laft inftance as perfectly black as in the original ftock. I do not mean to enter into the merits of the question which naturally connects with thefe obfervations; but shall only remark, that the fallow and aduft countenances, fo commonly acquired by Europeans who have long refided in hot climates, are more afcribable to the effect of bilious diftempers, which almost all are fubject to in a greater or lefs degree, than of their expofure to the influence of the weather, which few but feafaring people are liable to, and of which the impreffion is feldom permanent. From this circumftance I have been led to conjecture that the general difparity of complexions in different nations, might poffibly be owing to the more or lefs copious fecretion, or redundance of that juice, rendering the fkin more or lefs dark according to the qualities of the bile prevailing in the conftitutions of each. But I fear fuch an hypothefis would not stand the teft of experiment, as it must follow, that upon diffection, the contents of a negro's gall bladder, or at least the extravafated bile, fhould uniformly be found black. Perfons killed in anatomy will determine whether it is poffible that the qualities of any animal fecretion can so far affect the

frame,

frame, as to render their confequences liable to be tranfmitted to pofterity in their fall force.

The fmall fize of the inhabitants, and efpecially of the women, may be in fome measure owing to the early communication between the fexes; though, as the inclinations which lead to this intercourfe are prompted here by nature fooner than in cold climates, it is not unfair to fuppofe that being.proportioned to the period of maturity, this is alfo fooner attained, and confequently that the earlier ceffation of growth of these people, is agreeable to the laws of their conftitution, and not occafioned by a premature and irregular appetite.

Perfons of fuperior rank encou. rage the growth of their handnails, particularly thofe of the fore and little fingers, to an extraordinary length; frequently tinging them red, with the expreffed juice of a fhrub called eeni; as they do the nails of their feet also, to which, being always uncovered, they pay as much attention as to their hands. The hands of the natives, and even of the half breed, are always cold to the touch; which I cannot account for other wife than by a fuppofition, that from the lefs degree of elasticity in the folids, occafioned by the heat of the climate, the internal action of the body, by which the fluids are put in motion, is less vigorous, the circulation is proportionably languid, and of courfe the diminished effect is moft perceptible in the extremities, and a . coldness there is the natural confequence.

The natives of the hills, through the whole extent of the island, are

fubject to those monftrous wens from the throat, which have been obferved of the Vallai fans, and the inhabitants of other mountainous diftricts in Europe. It has been usual to attribute this affection to the badnefs, thawed ftate, mineral quality, or other peculiarity of the waters; many skilful men having applied themfelves to the investigation of the fubject. My experience enables me to pronounce without hefitation, that the disorder, for fuch it is, though it appears here to mark a diftin&t race of people (orang goonong), is immediately connected with the hilliness of the country, and of course, if the circumftances of the water they use contribute thereto, it must be only fo far as the nature of the water is affected by the inequality or height of the land. But on Sumatra nei

ther fnow nor other congelation is ever produced, which militates against the moft plaufible conjecture that has been adopted concerning the Alpine goitres. From every research that I have been enabled to make, I think I have reason to conclude,`that the complaint is owing, among the Sumatrans, to the fogginefs of the air in the vallies between the high mountains, where, and not on the fummits, the natives of thefe parts refide. I before remarked, that between the ranges of hills, the caboot or dense mist was visible for feveral hours every morning; rifing in a thick, opaque and well defined body, with the fun, and feldom quite difperfed till after noon. This phænomenon, as well as that of the wens, being peculiar to the regions of the hills, affords a prefumption that they may

be connected; exclufive of the natural probability that a cold vapor, grofs to an uncommon degree, and continually enveloping the habitations, fhould affect with tumors the throats of the inhabitants. I cannot pretend to fay how far this folution may apply to the cafe of the goitres, but I recollect it to have been mentioned, that the only method of curing thefe people, is by removing them from the vallies to the clear and pure air on the tops of the hills; which feems to indicate a fimilar fource of the diftemper with what I have pointed out. The Sumatrans do not appear to attempt any remedy for it, the wens being confiftent with the higheft health in other refpects.

The perfonal difference between' the Malays of the coaft, and the country inhabitants, is not fo ftrongly marked but that it requires fome experience to diftinguish them. The latter, however, poffefs an evident fuperiority in point of fize and ftrength, and are fairer complexioned, which they probably owe to their fituation, where the atmosphere is colder; and it is generally obferved, that people living near the fea fhore, and efpecially when accustomed to navigation, are darker than their inland neighbours.

Some attribute the difparity in conftitutional vigour, to the more frequent ufe of opium among the Malays, which is fuppofed to debilitate the frame; but I have noted that the Leemoon and Batang Affy gold traders, who are a colony of that race fettled in the heart of the island, and who cannot exift a day without opium, are remarkably hale and tout; which I have known to be obferved

with a degree of envy by the opium-fmokers of our fettlements. The inhabitants of Paffummah alfo, are defcribed as being more robuft in their perfons, than the planters of the low country.

The original clothing of the Sumatrans is the fame with that found by navigators among the inhabitants of the South Sea islands, and now generally called by the name of Otaheitean cloth. It is ftill used among the Rejangs for their working drefs, and I have one in my poffeffion, procured from thefe people, confifting of a jacket, fhort drawers, and a cap for the head. This is the inner bark of a certain fpecies of tree, beat out to the degree of fineness required; approaching the more to perfection, as it refembles the fofter kind of leather, fome being nearly equal to the most delicate kidfkin; in which character it fomewhat differs from the South Sea cloth, as that bears a resemblance rather to paper, or to the manufacture of the loom. The country people now conform in a great meafure to the drefs of the Malays, which I fhall therefore defcribe in this place, obferving that much more fimplicity ftill prevails among the former, who look upon the others as coxcombs who lay out all their fubftance on their backs, whilft, in their turns, they are regarded by the Malays with contempt, as unpolifhed ruftics.

A man's drefs confifts of the

following parts. A clofe waistcoat, without fleeves, but having a neck like a fhirt, buttoned clofe up to the top, with buttons, often, of gold filagree. This is peculiar to the Malays. Over this they wear the badjco, which refembles

a morn

a morning gown, open at the neck, but faftened clofe at the wrifts and half way up the arm, with nine buttons to each fleeve. The badjoo worn by young men is open in front no farther down than the bofom, and reaches no lower than the waist, whereas the others hang loofe to the knees, and fometimes to the ancles. They are made ufually of blue or white cotton cloth; for the better fort, of chintz, and for great men, of flowered filks. The cayen farrong is not unlike a Scot's highlander's plaid in appearance, being a piece of party colored cloth about fix or eight feet long, and three or four wide, fewed together at the ends; forming, as fome writers have defcribed it, a wide fack without a bottom. This is fometimes gathered up, and flung over the fhoulder like a fafh, or elfe folded and tucked about the waift and hips; and in full dress it is bound on by the belt of the creefe (dagger), which is of crimson filk, and wraps feveral times round the body, with a loop at the end, in which the fheath of the creefe hangs. They wear fhort drawers, reaching half way down the thigh, generally of red or yellow taffeta. There is no covering to their legs or feet. Round their heads they faften, in a particular manner, a fine, coloured handkerchief, fo as to refemble a small turban; the country people ufually twifting a piece of white or blue cloth for this purpofe. The crown of their head remains uncovered, except on journies, when they wear a toodong or umbrella-hat, which completely fcreens them from the weather.

The women have a kind of bo

dice, or fhort waistcoat rather, that defends the breasts, and reaches to the hips. The cayen farrong, before defcribed, comes up as high as the armpits, and extends to the feet, being kept on fimply by folding and tucking it over, at the breaft, except when the talle-pending, or zone, is worn about the waift, which forms an additional and neceffary fecurity. This is ufually of embroidered cloth, and fometimes a plate of gold or filver, about two inches broad, faftening in the front with a large clafp of filagree or chafed work, with fome kind of precious ftone, or imitation of fuch, in the center. The badjoo, or upper gown, differs little from that of the men, buttoning in the fame manner at the wrifts.. A piece of fine, thin, blue cotton cloth, about five feet long, and worked or fringed at each end, called a falendang, is thrown across the back of the neck, and hangs down before; ferving alfo the purpose of a veil to the women of rank when they walk abroad. The handkerchief is carried, either folded fmall in the hand, or at length over the fhoulder. There are two modes of dreffing the hair, one termed coondye, and the other fangoll. The firft refembles much the fashion in which we fee the Chinese women reprefented in paintings, and which I conclude they borrowed from thence, where the hair is wound circularly over the center of the head, and faftened with a filver bodkin or pin. In the other mode, which is more general, they give the hair a fingle turn as it hangs behind, and then doubling it

up, they pass it crofswife, under a few hairs feparated from the reft,