222 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



mountains ; and, under entirely different names, in the western and south- 

 ern provinces of China. The Tibetans have broad, flat faces, flat noses, 

 and eyes with narrow apertures ; but besides these Mongolian, they 

 display also Caucasian features, that especially remind observers of the 

 Semitic physiognomy. They are well built in figure, strong, and tolerably 

 large, but frequently suffer from the goitre, in consequence of the moun- 

 tainous character of their country. In places where they are not corrupted 

 by other nations, they are described as peaceable, mild, honest, and frank. 

 The land is not productive, and the population therefore very small. 

 Besides agriculture, the rearing of cattle forms a main business of the 

 Tibetans. They raise horses and cattle, but pay particular attention to 

 sheep and goats ; and their goats are of the well known Cashmere breed, 

 from the wool of which the expensive Cashmere shawls are woven. The 

 industry of the Tibetans is confined principally to the weaving of wool and 

 silk, and the manufacturing of articles of gold and silver, carved wood- 

 work, sculpture, and turned wares. Their turned wooden vessels are, in 

 particular, greatly esteemed. The houses of the Tibetans are built in a 

 massive manner, of stones rough from the quarry. They are very large, 

 and frequently several stories high, and at times capable of affording room 

 to some hundreds of people. The dress consists of a coat, which in sum- 

 mer is manufactured of woollen stuff, in winter of sheepskin or fox furs, 

 or also of thick felted wool. On the head they wear a fur cap, ornamented 

 with teeth of wild boars, or pieces of tortoise-shell ; and with the rich, with 

 pearls. The latter sometimes wear silk clothes and handsome furs ; and 

 females, a jerkin with short sleeves and an apron of tammy or silk, and cover 

 the neck with a small handkerchief. Both sexes adorn themselves with 

 rings, armlets, and coral necklaces, and wear boots, often of very costly 

 description ; but although thus paying much attention to ornament, they 

 are nevertheless said to be very uncleanly, and to wash themselves but 

 seldom. 



Their language is very harsh, but rich in combinations of rough con- 

 sonants, and is spoken in a number of dialects. {PI. 22, fig. 9, a Tibetan.) 

 The Coreans inhabit the peninsula of Corea, and are usually called in 

 the Chinese Kao-li, in the Japanese language Koo-rai. They spring from 

 a Central- Asiatic nation, long since extinct, the Sianpis, who inhabited 

 the Ghirin mountains in Mongolia, north-west of Peking. Their eupho- 

 nious language is at present interspersed with many Chinese and 

 Japanese words. The Coreans are taller than the Chinese and Japanese ; 

 stronger, more sinewy, and vigorous ; more symmetrically formed, and at 

 the same time robust and agile. The countenance js MongoHan, but 

 approaches the Caucasian. The Corean is serious, tranquil, frank ; his 

 gait exhibits firmness, his deportment more self-dependence and energy 

 than is the case with the Japanese and Chinese ; but in refinement of 

 manners he is inferior to both. He is at the same time uncleanly, and 

 rather intemperate in eating and drinking ; also, according to travellers, 

 very much addicted to lying, cheating, and stealing. He is described, like- 

 wise, as superstitious and effeminate, and fond of jxiusic and dancing. 

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