long, and remarkably full under the zygoma, so as to give
to the countenance a square appearance; the nose is rather
small than flat, the alee not being distended in any uncommon
degree : in a great number of Malays it is largest towards
its point jc the mouth is. large and the lips thick; the heard
is remarkably scanty, consisting only of a few straggling
hairs; the forehead, though broad in a lateral direction,
is in general narrow, and the hairy scalp comes down very
low. The head is peculiar; the antero-posterior diameter
being uncommonly short, the general form is rather cylindrical
; the occipital foramen is often placed; so far back,
that from the crown to the nape of the meek is nearly a
straight line. The top of the head is often, very flat. The
hair is.thick, coarse, and lank; its colour is,always black.
The limbs are thick, short, and stout; and the arms, rather
out of proportion to. the trunk : the arms; particularly in
Malays, are uncommonly, long.. The Toot- is: in general
small; but the hand is much longer than that of the Bengalese.
The trunk is rather square, being nearly as. broad
at the loins as over the pectoral musclea. There is ins this
respect the greatest difference between, them: and the inhabitants
of India, who are. in general remarkable for small
waists. The diameter of the pelvis is particularlpyilS^^ j
and the dimensions of: the cavity would appear to be somer
what greater than in other races.”*
From this account of their form, they would appear to,
be admirably, calculated for toilsome andlaborious©xertions;
hut they have nofc the energy of European labourers : the
greater number are distinguished for mechanical skill and
patience rather than for mental capacity ; others are equally
remarkable for indolence and aversion to labour.
To this general outline I shall add; some observations
referring to the physical history of particular nations.
Mr. Crawfurd, whose wofks have added greatly to extend
ethnographical knowledge, and who is considered as
a writer of; the greatest authority on subjects connected
with this research, has given the following account of the
Siamese race in, comparison with others in the same part
of the world
* Finlay sou’s Embassy to Siam and Hue, p. 230.
He remarks; in the first place, that all the nations between
Hindidsten and China, differing widely from their
neighbours in physical form, in the structure of their language,.
in manners; institutions, and; religion,, agree with
on© another so; remarkably in all these respects, that they
seem entitled t@ be looked upon as a. distinct and peculiar
family of the; human race. The following- description, he
says; drawn from the; Siamese; applies more or less exactly
to; thei whole family* of nations- :#*-* !
In stature the; Siamese* are shorter* than: the Hindoos; the
Chinese, or the Europeans; hut taller than the Malays.
The average height of, twenty mien,; taken; indiscriminately,
was found tov-be: frve;feet three: inches,, the-tallest being five
feet eight and the. shortest fivefeettwo.. This makes them
about one inch taller th an ' aa^.inch and
as-half shorter than* the: Chinese. Their lower limbs; unlike
thoseiof the Hindoos, are well proportioned. ' Their persons
imsgeipral are robust and well proportioned, but destitute
of the grace and flexibility?of the Hindi? form, yet lighter
than that of. the Indian islanders.
- Their complexion is') a light bro^n, perhaps a shade
lighter than that; of the Malays; but many shades darker
than the Chinese; yet never approaching the black of the
Hegro or the Hindu. The hair of the* head is black, lank,
coarse, and abundant. It was observed by Mr. Finlayson
that Hie hairy; scalp; is remarkably extohded5 in-the Siamese*
race, the hair- descending; within an inch of the temples
and growing- near the- angles of the eyes; Mr: Crawford
saw a native ofi Lhos, therefore an individual of Hie same
race, who had hair- growing long over his wholbfoce; The
tendency to this;variation? iS the more remarkable in a stock
of people whose skin is otherwise particularly Smooth. On
every other part of the body the hair * is scanty, as; in the
Malayan and. American races, and; the beard being scanty
it is pluckedioutril.:
The head is well proportioned, but frequently of remarkable
flatnessdn theOecipital part. The face diffors greatly
from the European; and Hindfi physiognomy; the features
never being hold, prominent, and well defined. The nose