BISCAY ERS. 
69 
\Yriter who has spoken of FornSosa makes the least mention of 
this singular appendage. 
Biscayers. 
These are a people quite distinct from other Spaniards. Their 
language is counted aboriginal, and unmixed with Italian, French, or 
Spanish, and seems to be a dialect of the Celtic. It is so totally 
different from the Castilian, that we seldom meet with any of the pea- 
sants that understand one word of the Spanish. The Biscayers are 
stout, brave, and choleric to a proverb. The best sailors in Spain belong 
to the ports of Biscay, and its mountains produce a very valuable 
race of soldiers. Their privileges are very extensive, and they watch 
over them with a jealous eye. They have no bishops in the province, 
and style the king only, lord of Biscay. The men are well-built 
and active, like all mountaineers. 
The most singular thing in their dress is the covering of theirlegs; 
they lap a piece of coarse grey or black woollen cloth round them, 
and fasten it on with many turns of tape. The w'omen are tall, beau- 
tiful, light, and merry ; their garb is neat and pastoral, their hair 
falls in long plaits down their backs; and a veil or handkerchief 
twisted round in a coquetish manner, serves them for a very becoming 
head-dress. On Sundays they generally wear white, covered with 
rose-coloured knots. 
, Siamese. 
These are the inhabitants of Siam, a kingdom of Asia. The 
Siamese are of small stature, but well proportioned ; their complex- 
ions are swarthy ; the faces of both sexes are broad, and their foreheads 
suddenly contracting, terminate in a point, as well as their chins. 
They have small black eyes, hollowed jaws, large mouths, and thick 
pale lips. Their teeth are dyed black, their noses are short and 
round at the end, and they have large ears, which they think beautiful. 
Their hair is thick and lank, and both sexes cut it so short that it 
reaches no lower than their ears ; the women make it stand up. on 
their foreheads, and the men shave their beards. People of distinc- 
tion wear a piece of calico tied about their loins, that reaches down 
to their knees. The men bring up this cloth between their legs, and 
tuck it in their girdles, which gives it the appearance of a pair o' 
breeches. They have also a muslin shirt without a collar, with wide 
sleeves, no wrist-bands, and the bosom open. In winter they wear a 
piece of stuff of painted linen over their shoulders like a mantle, and 
wind it about their arms. 
The king of Siam is distinguished by wearing a vest of brocaded 
satin with straight sleeves that reach down to the waist, under such 
a shirt as above described ; but no subject must wear this dress, 
unless he receives it from the king. They wean slippers w ith peaked 
toes turned up, but no stockings. All the retinue of the king, either 
in war or in hunting, are clothed in red. The king wears a cap in 
the form of a sugar loaf^ encompassed by a coronet of precious 
