[ 21$ ] 



xvi r. 



A COMPARATIVE VOCABULARY 



OF SOME OF THE LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN THE 



BURMA EMPIRE. 



By FRANCIS BUCHANAN, M.D. 



TO judge from external appearance, -that is to fay, 

 from ihape, iize, and feature, there is one very 

 extent! ve nation that inhabits the eaft of Afia. It in- 

 cludes the eaftern and weftern Tartars of the Chinefe 

 -authors, the Calmnes, the Chinefe, the Japfronefe, the 

 Malays, and other tribes inhabiting what is called the 

 Peninfula of India beyond the Ganges ; and the 

 iilands to the fouth and eaft of this, as far at leaft as 

 New Guinea. This, however, is fpeaking in a very ge- 

 neral fenle, many foreign races being intermixed with 

 the nation, and, perhaps, many tribes belonging to it 

 being fcattered beyond the limits I have mentioned. 



This nation may be diiunguifhed by a fhort, fquat, 

 rob uft, flefhy ftature, and by features highly different 

 from thofe of an European. The face is fomewhat in 

 fhape of a lozenge, the forehead and chin being 

 fharpened, whilit at the cheek bones it is very broad : 

 uidefs this be what is meant by the conical head of 

 the Chinefe, I confefs myfelf at a lots to uriderfTand 

 what that is. The eyebrows, or fupercillary ridges, in 

 this nation project, very little, and the eyes are very 

 narrow, and placed rather obliquely in the head, the 

 external angles being the highetr. The note is very 

 final], but has nor, like that of the negro, the appear- 



O 2 ance 



