38 REMARKS UPON THE 



forms are not fully developed until they have arrived 

 at the same years of puberty as ourselves ; and it 

 is very uncommon for women under seventeen to 

 bear children. The features of the women conform 

 to a general characteristic type, and less variations 

 from this are observed among them than in the 

 men. This observation extends to other races 

 besides the Amhara, for I have invariably found 

 more consistency of countenance, more nationality 

 preserved in the features of females than in the 

 males of the many different people I have met with 

 in my trayels in Abyssinia. 



The Amhara face is ovate, having a considerably 

 greater expression of breadth in the upper than in 

 the lower part. The scalp in front encroaches upon 

 the forehead, making its length disproportionate to 

 its height, and, in consequence, it appears exceed- 

 ingly low. The eyes are long, but rather full, and 

 the separation of the eyelids longitudinal, as in 

 Europeans. Their cheeks are high, yet finely 

 rounded, and sometimes, with the long forehead, 

 giving to the countenance a nearly triangular form. 

 The nose straight and well-formed, with a small 

 and beautiful mouth, a finely-curved edge gradually 

 rising from the commissure to the fulness of a most 

 inviting pair of lips. A voluptuous fulness, in fact, 

 pervades the whole countenance ; a something more 

 than muscular fibre, yet not exactly fat, giving a 

 healthy fleshiness, that reminds you of the chubbi- 

 ness of children ; and I expect the fascinating 



