IN SUMATRA. 



195 



intelligently moulded faces ; the nose with a rather prominent 

 and straight dorsum, the eyes sunk deeply in the head, the 

 cheek-bones projecting, but without the prominent thick lips 

 so distinctive of the Malay face. They are very independent, 

 somewhat surly in heart and desperately lazy people ; not 

 very friendly inclined to their neighbours in the adjoining 

 districts. They are by no means dishonest, and live peace- 

 fully among themselves. Their children are lively and 

 amused with little ; but neither of their parents trouble them- 

 selves much about them after they are old enough to run 

 about by themselves. They were rather afraid to allow me to 

 submit their length and breadth to the test of the measur- 

 ing-line, dreading lest the measure of their bodies should 



PASSrUAH BRACELETS OF SILVER, SHOWING THE OKNAMEKTATION DERIVED 

 PHOM THli YOUNG SHOOTS OF THE BAMBOO. 



bear some sinister relation to the span of their existence. 

 After giving, however, the most pacifying assurances, I found 

 ten men and five women bold enough to risk the danger. 

 The average height of the men was 5 feet 4-15 inches, the 

 length of his arm 11-23 inches, and of his forearm to the tip 

 of his longest finger 2 feet 51 inches, while in the women the 

 corresponding measurements were, 5 feet OTo inches in stature, 

 11-35 inches in length of arm, and 2 feet 3-85 inches of 

 forearm. The tallest man was 5 feet 825 inches, and the most 

 herculean of the women 5 feet 2-75 inches. 



The men dress as in other districts. The women, especially 

 the maidens, are strong, well proportioned and well developed ; 

 many of them are very good-looking, having, what is rare among 



