WHITE CHILDREN. 437 



I was much surprised a few days since, while 

 passing a house in the vicinity of the village, to 

 see apparently a European lad, of about six 

 years of age ; and on examining him closer, 

 found his skin of a white colour, thinly scattered 

 over with small light-brown patches. On passing 

 the same house again, I made inquiry on the 

 subject, and then had an opportunity of seeing 

 two others, who were females, — one about six- 

 teen or eighteen years of age, the other an infant 

 just able to run about. They were described to 

 us as children of native Malay parents, of the 

 usual colour of their race ; but we did not see 

 them, as they had gone a short distance into the 

 country. The children were named Cete, Thete, 

 and Cehrete. They had a plump appearance ; 

 ilaxen hair, light-blue eyes ; and the boy and 

 young woman were slightly covered with scat- 

 tered small brown patches ; but the infant had 

 not a blemish on its integument. The natives 

 could give no reason for this variety ; they 

 looked upon it as curious, but did not seem, as 

 far as I could ascertain, to regard it as a disease. 

 They have the flat nose of the Malay, but other- 

 wise would be considered the offspring of Euro- 

 pean parents, the skin being in some degree 

 freckled. It ought certainl}^ to be regarded as 



