IN THE HUMAN RACE. }> 



sprung. The Tartar country, in its common acceptation, 

 comprehends a very considerable part of Asia, and con- 

 sequently is peopled by natives of very different forms and 

 complexions; yet there are leading traits of distinction be- 

 tween the whole race and the people of any other country. 

 They all have the upper part of the visage very broad and 

 early wrinkled ; the lower part narrow, and approaching 

 to a point at the chin : their eyes are small, and wide apart ; 

 their noses short and flat; their cheek-bones high ; the eye- 

 brows thick ; the hair black ; and the complexion olive. 

 In general they are of the middle stature, strong, robust, 

 and healthy. Some of the tribes may be comparatively 

 handsome : but according to our ideas of beauty, all of 

 them fall very short of that appellation ; and the Calmucs, 

 in particular, are not only ugly, but frightful. 



The Tartars, however widely disseminated, are all ac- 

 customed to a wandering life, and all dwell in tents. They 

 subsist chiefly on horse-flesh and dried fish ; and their 

 usual beverage is mares' milk, fermented with ground mil- 

 let. They have few religious ideas, and no determinate 

 notions of morality or decency of manners. Their chief 

 wealth consists in horses, in the management and care of 

 which they spend much of their time ; and they count it 

 no dishonesty to follow robbing as a vocation, provided it 

 be exercised on a different tribe from their own. 



The men have little hair on their chin ; and they all 

 shave the head, except a lock of hair on the top, which 

 they suffer to grow to a great length, and form into 

 tresses. The women, though scarcely ever handsome, 

 are yet studious to braid their hair, and decorate it with 

 pieces of copper and similar ornaments. 



Different as the Chinese and Japanese are in their man- 

 ners and customs, they are evidently of Tartar origin. 

 The general contour of features is the same ; and the va- 

 riations in complexion, stature, and customs, may be 

 satisfactorily explained from the principles of climate, 

 food, and political institutions. " I have observed," says 

 Chardin, " that in all the people from the east and t!le 



