THE MONGOLIAN RACE. 



45 



CHINESE. 



A few scattered Chinese are settled in the principal cities of the 

 United States ; but the number is so small that their existence is not 

 generally known. Some of these families I had seen ; and indeed, I 

 had satisfied myself of the physical identity witti the aboriginal Ame- 

 rican, before joining the Exploring Expedition. 



At the Hawaiian Islands, I had more ample opportunities for veri- 

 fying this result, the Chinese being now among Polynesians. It is 

 true there was no juxtaposition of Chinese with aboriginal Americans ; 

 but we sailed from these islands to the American coast; and returning 

 at the close of summer, proceeded, while the impression was new, 

 to the East Indies; where we again saw Chinese surrounded by a 

 Malay population. 



The lighter complexion of the Chinese was very striking when 

 they were standing among Hawaiians ; and the nose was decidedly 

 more prominent; so that a commonly urged objection to identity with 

 the aboriginal Americans, disappeared. They had been brought in 

 American vessels, and they seemed permanently established ; being 

 engaged in various employments, such as those of servants, shop- 

 keepers, and sugar manufacturers. The number seen, did not exceed 

 twenty; including one female, who was partly Portuguese, from 

 Macao. They had a burial-place about three miles from Honolulu, 

 where the tombs were constructed after the national fashion, which 

 has often been figured and described. 



Manila was crowded with Chinese ; and I was surprised at the 

 scanty clothing of the majority of them ; reduced often to the simple 

 belt or sash, as with the Feejeeans and some Hawaiians. They had 

 small retail shops, and were evidently the principal artisans. One of 

 the most remarkable spectacles to a stranger, was the confined space in 

 which they carried on, without interfering with one another, all me- 

 chanical employments. A competent judge of these matters remarked, 

 "that he had never seen mechanics require so little room, and at the 

 same time do their work so neatly and faithfully." In passing through 

 the streets occupied by them, I repeatedly selected individuals, who, 

 if transported in a different dre.ss into the American forest, might, 1 

 thought, have deceived the most experienced eye. In stature they 

 were by no means so much degenerated as the Malays, but were re- 

 ported to be less cleanly in their habits, 



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