196 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



the lower classes in clotli of a dark color ; and old persons sometimes still 

 wear the costume of their ancestors, that is to say, a triangular hat, black 

 coat, large silver buckles to the breeches, and broad buckles on the shoes. 

 Peasants on the coast as well as in the interior generally wear a triangular 

 or round hat, a long wide overcoat of dark color, breeches with two large 

 buttons at the flap, three to four breast -pieces, one over the other, adorned 

 with silver buttons, and large shoe-buckles. The dress of females is not the 

 same in the different provinces ; the principal parts of it, however, are almost 

 everywhere a small cambric cap, usually fastened on both sides v/ith a round 

 brass (also gilt) plate, stiff stays, several handkerchiefs one over the other, a 

 jacket, two rolls on the hips on which rest a number of heavy petticoats, and 

 hanging pouch at the side. A straw hat lined with silk frequently covers the 

 lace cap. 



The Nations of Asia. 



Asia, beyond doubt the cradle and first seat of mankind, differs quite as 

 much in its climate, soil, and products, as do its inhabitants in color, 

 physiognomy, stature, mode of life, civilization, (fee. The most thickly 

 inhabited section is the Chinese, a well watered country in the south-east ; 

 the most sparsely settled is Siberia. The elevated table-lands exhibit 

 inhabitants distinguished above the others for vigor ; the river countries, 

 especially the rich, luxurious, southern districts of Asia, on the contrary, 

 possess the feeblest, most effeminate occupants. Asia^ is estimated to have, 

 in an area of fifteen millions of square miles, a population of upwards of 500 

 millions. The greater portion of the inhabitants of Asia can be associated 

 into two groups, namely, the Caucasian, and the Old-Asiatic or Mongolian. 

 The former extends from the west as far as the Obi, Belour, and Burrampooter 

 (Bramaputra) rivers, and besides many small hordes, comprehends four prin- 

 cipal stocks : the Arabs, Persians (Armenians), Turkish nations (Tartars), 

 and Hindoos. The latter, on the other hand, includes the nations of the 

 elevated table-land and eastern part of Asia, subdivided into the six following 

 principal stocks : Mongols, Buchanans, Mandchoos, Japanese, Chinese, and 

 Further-Indians. To these great families intermixed in many different 

 ways, must still be added, as true families, those of the north-east of 

 Siberia, viz. the Samoyedes, the Yenesei stock, the Yukaghires, Kam- 

 schatkians, Kuriles, and Tschoudes ; and in the south-east, the Malays of 

 Malacca, the neighboring islands, and Formosa, and the Papuas on some 

 of the Indian Islands, and the Moluccas. In the south and south-west, 

 dialects of the Sanscrit (Hindostanee), or Median (Persian), or Semitic 

 (Syrian, Arabian), are spoken ; from the Black Sea to the Japanese 

 islands, Tartar (Turkish, Mongolian, Tungousian) and Thibetan languages 

 prevail ; in the south-east, the Chinese and Birman. Islamism is the 

 most widely extended of all the religions of Asia (in Western Asia, and in 

 part of Northern and Southern Asia). Buddhism, however, has a greater 

 number of adherents ; these are to be found in the elevated country and 

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