586 The Eaces of Man 



good-looking, and many of the boys and girls up to twelve or 

 fifteen years of age are very pleasing, and some have counte- 

 nances which are in their way almost perfect. I am inclined 

 to think they lose much of their good looks by bad habits 

 and irregular living. At a very early age they chew betel 

 and tobacco almost incessantly ; they suifer much want and 

 exposure in their fishing and other excursions ; their lives are 

 often passed in alternate starvation and feasting, idleness and 

 excessive labor, — and this naturally produces premature old 

 old age and harshness of features. 



In character the Malay is impassive. He exhibits a re- 

 serve, diffidence, and even bashfulness, which is in some degree 

 attractive, and leads the observer to think that the ferocious 

 and bloodthirsty character imputed to the race must be gross- 

 ly exaggerated. He is not demonstrative. His feelings of 

 surprise, admiration, or fear, are never openly manifested, and 

 are probably not strongly felt. He is slow and deliberate 

 in speech, and circuitous in introducing the subject he has 

 come expressly to discuss. These are the main features of 

 his moral nature, and exhibit themselves in every action of 

 his life. 



Children and women are timid, and scream and run at 

 the unexpected sight of a European. In the company of men 

 they are silent, and ai-e generally quiet and obedient. When 

 alone the Malay is taciturn ; he neither talks nor sings to 

 himself When several are paddling in a canoe, they occa- 

 sionally chant a monotonous and plaintive song. He is cau- 

 tious of giving offense to his equals. He does not quarrel 

 easily about money matters ; dislikes asking too frequently 

 even for payment of his just debts, and will often give them 

 up altogether rather than quarrel with his debtor. Practical 

 joking is utterly repugnant to his disposition ; for he is par- 

 ticularly sensitive to breaches of etiquette, or any interference 

 with the personal liberty of himself or another. As an exam- 

 ple, I may mention that I have often found it very difficult 

 to get one Malay servant to waken another. He will call as 

 loud as he can, but will hardly touch, much less shake his 

 comrade. I have frequently had to waken a hard sleeper 

 myself when on a land or sea journey. 



The higher classes of Malays are exceedingly polite, and 



