CHINA. 1751. 271 



for walking is a mark of gentility, people of 

 rank prefs the feet of their daughters from 

 their very infancy in iron (hoes. It is faid that 

 this was a punifhment on the female fex, for 

 attempting to betray their hufbands in an ir- 

 ruption of the Portuguefe ; but they look up- 

 on this as an injurious report, which cannot 

 be proved. Common women are every day 

 feen, particularly in the boats, and they are 

 drelTed like men, in a coat and trowfers ; but 

 they do not (have their heads ; they tie their 

 long hair together in a knot at the top of their 

 heads -, and faflen it with a great long filver 

 bodkin. The hair of the unmarried women 

 is cut on the fides, and hangs round the head 

 about an hand's breadth. To paint the face, 

 is univerfally the fafhion. Tobacco is ufed 

 only for fmoaking ; but its ufe is very general 

 with both fexes : and women are frequently 

 feen in the boats at the helm, with their chil- 

 dren at their backs, and a tobacco pipe in their 

 mouths. The mothers, who always educate 

 their own children, tie them to their backs, 

 that they may not be troublefome to them in 

 working: and as the children often knock 

 their nofes againfl: their mothers backs, it is 

 probable that this is the caufe of their broad 

 nofes, which are a general characterifiic of this 



nation. 



