ETHNOLOGY OF THE PRESENT DAY. 211 



heart of Asia, south of the Celestial Mountains, but in the latter part of the 

 fifteenth century penetrated into Bucharia. They spring from the Turks ; 

 are strong, handsome, and tall ; their faces resemble the Mongolian only in 

 complexion. Their eyes are large and piercing. 



The Usbeks are hospitable, but at the same time very niggardly, and 

 hence live in an extremely frugal manner at home, but are insatiable where 

 indulgence costs them nothing. In general, they possess a martial disposi- 

 tion, but are good only for short expeditions. Their manner of fighting 

 wants spirit and courage ; the first attack decides the battle ; if this fails, 

 the leader immediately takes to flight. If victorious, on the contrary, they 

 pursue the enemy relentlessly, cut down in the most unmerciful manner 

 those offering resistance, and carry away the defenceless as slaves. Sabre, 

 bow and arrows, lance and knife, are their principal weapons. Their dress 

 is always wadded, and frequently very expensive. 



The Chinese. 



The Chinese are of medium stature, and their limbs, more especially at 

 the extremities, small. The color of the skin is brownish yellow ; the 

 inhabitants of the northern provinces have a lighter complexion. Manda- 

 rins, the rich, and ladies w^ho are shut up in their harems, are also lighter 

 colored than the lower classes, for example, the coolies, or porters, who are 

 always exposed to the air. The face is broad and flat, w^ith prominent 

 cheek bones ; the nostrils are wide ; the eyes stand far apart, and are 

 obliquely set. The hair is deep black and the beard thin. The fair sex is 

 distinguished for extremely short feet, which are, however, very broad, and 

 almost resemble the feet of horses, receiving their form, not from nature, 

 but by means of art, since they are confined by hard shoes worn from 

 childhood, causing the ankles to swell up, and making it very troublesome 

 for them to walk. 



The Chinese wear a full garment, shaped like our wide dressing-gown, 

 covering the whole of the body, fastened with buttons, and having wide 

 sleeves tapering down towards the hand. This outer garment is of cotton 

 or silk, and, in summer, without lining; in winter, it is lined with cotton 

 or fur. In the former season, according as the weather is more or less cool, 

 several such garments are worn, one over the other. Blue is the prevailing, 

 or rather prescribed color for male dress ; next in favor are violet and 

 black. High officers of state are dressed, on days of ceremony, in satin with 

 a red ground ; none but the Emperor and princes of the blood are allowed 

 to wear yellow. The fair sex dress principally in pink ; also in grey and 

 red. A girdle around the waist serves at times for carrying weapons, 

 the tobacco pouch, knife and chopsticks, and, in summer, fans, even with 

 men. A wide jerkin is the only garment of the countryman. Below the 

 tunic, long cotton, linen, or silk under garments are worn ; and under the 

 latter, wide trowsers of nankeen or silk, covering the whole of the legs. 

 The boots are made of silk and nankeen ; for people of rank, sometimes 



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