THE MALAY RACE. 



the islet. They recognised rice, which they happened to see soon 

 after coming on board, and which had evidently formed their accus- 

 tomed food : they were also acquainted with maize, and it was 

 thought, with oranges." On the other hand, cocoanuts and the com- 

 mon Hawaiian esculents were new to them ; and it thus appeared, that 

 these men did not belong to the Loo Choos, nor indeed to a tropical 

 climate. To inquiries respecting their native country, they uni- 

 formly answered, ' Tosa ;' which is the name of a district in one of 

 the southern Japan islands. 



Their personal appearance differed from my preconceived ideas of 

 the Japanese; and for a time, I was unwilling to admit their connexion 

 with the Malay race. In my note-book I find recorded, that "they 

 were all short, rather stout-built men, with the complexion nearly 

 as dark as in the Hawaiians ; which, together with their slight pro- 

 file, the nose rather flat, and their thick black hair, left me for some 

 time in doubt." Mr. Drayton at once recognised the Polynesian fea- 

 tures in the eldest of the party, (who had a beard,) and in this indivi- 

 dual the resemblance was obvious; but his companions had the con- 

 tour of the face on the front view, more rounded than is usual with 

 the Polynesians : the lad, however, had the nose so remarkably broad 

 and flat, that all idea of the Mongolian race was out of the question. 

 The eyes were neither small nor obliquely placed, though there was 

 perhaps something of the "rounded inner angle." Two of these 

 persons were pitted with the small-pox. 



After laying aside their national costume, they had suffered their 

 hair to grow ; but they explained, that it was usual at home, to shave 

 the top and sides of the head, and bringing the remaining hair for- 

 wards, to fasten it in a short tuft over the crown. Tiieir lanfjuao-e 

 was rather soft, and was rapidly uttered, with usually the vowel ter- 

 mination ; but the final ' ng' was sometimes heard. They bowed very 

 politely when we took our leave. 



Dr. Judd, of the Hawaiian mission, found them to be "of the lowest 

 class, fishermen, and very ignorant; but their countenances bright- 

 ened at the mention of some places in the south of Japan, with which 

 they had been accustomed to trade." Dr. Judd had formerly seen 

 some educated Japanese, from Matsmai in the north; who, he had 

 already informed me, "appeared to him, unlike the Chinese, identical 

 in physical race with the Hawaiians." 



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