no Voyage of the Novara. 



personal demonstration in the case of a Malay, whose face 

 was frightfully disfigured by the marks of this appalling 

 disease. 



Although in a climate the annual average of which is 81" 

 Fahr., clothes are all but mmecessary, the natives neverthe- 

 less manifest an extraordinary passion for European clothing, 

 and when it seemed impracticable by any other means to 

 elicit an expression of pleasure on their calm, indifferent, 

 emotionless countenances, it was always possible to succeed 

 by presenting them with a shirt, a coat, or a black silk round 

 hat. As however the natives have seldom been presented 

 with more tlian one such article at a time, and many a year 

 is apt to elapse ere he gets another, by which he might 

 succeed in gradually completing his dress, the Nicobarian 

 makes his appearance before strangers attired in the most 

 extraordinary fashion, almost entirely naked, sometimes with 

 only a black hat on his head, or pluming himself on being 

 spruced up in a frock coat (but without shirt, stockings, or 

 head gear), which on the plump naked brown skin of this 

 child of nature has far more the appearance of a straight- 

 waistcoat than a comfortable article of dress. 



The natives show infinitely more vanity in the selection of 

 a piece of clothing, than calculation as to its real necessity 

 or suitability. A large low-crowned white hat with broad rim, 

 which we presented to one native, gained not the slightest 

 approval, although both in form and colour it was far better 

 suited to protecting the wearer against the rays of the tropical 



