224 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



fawning towards their superiors as they are harsh and haughty in behavior 

 towards their inferiors. Thefts are rare, probably on account of the 

 severity of the laws. The Siamese have a language of their own, which is 

 written and read from the left to the right. The Pali tongue is the 

 language of religion, and known only to the priests. Buddha, whom they 

 adore together with many other divinities, is called by them Sommona- 

 Kadom. The sovereign is a despot, and the subjects are his slaves, of 

 whose lives and property he has the power of disposing at will. 



T^he Japanese. 



The Japanese are in general of medium size, and brownish-yellow color, 

 often passing into livid. Women of rank, who are less exposed to the 

 open air and sun, are alone found to be as fair as European women. The 

 eyes are sunken, with narrow apertures, but beautifully black ; and in 

 the female sex have a very gentle expression, and indicate inherent good 

 nature. The eyebrows are very high, and from the corners of the eyes 

 numerous wrinkles run out towards the temples. The nose is short 

 and straight ; the head generally large, the neck on the contrary short ; 

 and the rich black hair glistens as if oiled. Men shave their heads 

 bare, excepting the hair on the hinder part and top of the head, which is 

 united in a tuft upon the crown. Their beards are weak. Women permit 

 their hair to grow long, bind it together upon the head, and secure it with 

 several long pins. Perfect beauties are found among the females of Japan, 

 but all are small of stature. Concerning the disposition of the Japanese it 

 cannot be denied that they have good mental faculties, but they are 

 deceitful and cringing towards their superiors ; proud, haughty, resolute, 

 reckless of their own lives, and consequently fearless of death. Their 

 ordinary deportment is marked by extreme courtesy. They greet each 

 other either by bending one knee, or in case they wish to salute in a more 

 submissive manner, or to offer great honor to any one, they kneel down 

 and incline the face to the ground, which, however, is done only within 

 doors. The Japanese are very revengeful, but also very faithful in friend- 

 ship, and very jealous of their honor. They deserve credit also for being 

 temperate in eating and drinking, cleanly, industrious, and economical, 

 honest and true ; but, like the Chinese, they think themselves much above 

 all other nations in every respect. They are usually found singing at their 

 work, and are almost always lively and cheerful. Few nations are so fond 

 of show as the Japanese. Their dress is subject to no changes of fashion, it 

 has remained the same for ceaturies. Their long, full, silk or woollen coat, 

 with wide sleeves, resembles the Turkish morninor-qrown. The men wear 

 it of a plain color ; the women of a material ornamented with large 

 flowers, and not so wide. Men wear from three to four, women, out of 

 vanity or for defence against the cold, ten, and sometimes even from thirty 

 to fifty such coats, one over the other, as these garments are very light. 

 Over them a kind of cloak is sometimes worn. Trowsers are in use only 

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