254 THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



the breast well developed, the limbs meagre. Tlie face is 

 broad and somewhat flat, with high cheek-bones, a small nose, 

 a large month witli broad lips, and black eyes with angular 

 orbits. The children and young people of both sexes are often 

 really handsome in face and graceful in figure, but as they 

 advance in age their features become hard, and frequently 

 present a repulsive appearance. 



Like most nations in a rude state of society, they are in the 

 habit of permanently disfiguring parts of the body under the 

 idea of ornament. Considering blackness a becoming colour for 

 the teeth — for dogs, they say, have them white — they file the 

 enamel so that the bone may be tinged by the juice of the 

 pungent betel, which, wrapped round the nut of the areca 

 palm, and mixed with lime, they are in the habit of chewing 

 from morning till night. This combination, besides discolour- 

 ing the teeth, has the disgusting property of dyeing the saliva 

 of so deep a red that the lips and gums appear as if coloured 

 with blood; yet it is in universal use throughout the whole 

 Indian Archipelago, and, as excuses are never failing to justify 

 bad habits, is said to have tonic effects and to promote 

 digestion. 



The Malays are not a demonstrative people ; their behaviour 

 towards strangers is marked by a reserve, a distrust, or even a 

 timidity which inclines the observer to tax with exaggeration 

 the wild and bloodthirsty character which is generally ascribed 

 to their race. The feelings of astonishment, admiration, and 

 fear are never openly expressed, and their slow and considerate 

 speech shows how careful they are not to give offence. 



To indulge in a joke is quite contrary to their natural dis- 

 position, and they deeply feel, and are ever ready to resent, a 

 breach of etiquette or a personal affront. The higher classes 

 are extremely polite, and have all the quiet manners and 

 dignity of the best educated Europeans. But this external polish 

 is united with a reckless cruelty and contempt for human life 

 which forms the dark side of their character. Hence it is not to 

 be wondered at that different authors give us such totally con- 

 tradictory accounts of them. 



An old traveller, Nicolo Conti, who wrote in 1430, says that 

 ' the inhabitants of Java and Sumatra surpass all other people 

 in cruelty,' while Drake praises their love of truth and justice. 



