291 
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MINTIRA. 
Having failed in my attempt to bring one of the Binua with 
me to Singapore I am unable to offer any portraits of them. The 
full length figures of a man and woman in the accompanying 
lithograph are two of a party of Min lira, from Gunong Bermun 
who lately settled at Rumbiah near Malacca, and were induced 
to visit me in Singapore,—probably the first voyage that any of 
their race have undertaken for many centuries. In a future paper 
I shall give some account of the impressions made on them by 
the voyage, and their behaviour while in Singapore, as well as 
several particulars which could not be introduced into the prece¬ 
ding paper. Nos. I, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the lithograph of eight 
heads are also Mintiras, the two last being females. The remarks res¬ 
pecting the Binua physiognomy (ante p. 249—252) are, on the whole, 
applicable to the Mintira. The full length figures fail In doing 
justice to the originals. The face of the woman in particular al¬ 
though grave is not dull and sullen.* Some of the profiles give 
a good idea of the originals. The second is the least success¬ 
ful.-!* B is that of the most intelligent of the party. His features 
are remarkably well and sharply cut, although the head preserves 
the general Binua characteristics. The forehead is fine, but as 
usual the cheek bones swell out laterally beyond it. The faces 
of all the Mintira seem to be formed of two parts separated by a 
line across the eyes. The upper is the forehead, rising from a 
base considerably narrower than the fine connecting the zygoma¬ 
tic projections. The great bulk of the lower part is horizontally 
oblong, the external lines having a slight inclination inwards from 
the zygomatic arches to the angles of the lower jaw opposite the 
mouth, after which they converge towards the chin which forms an 
angle much more obtuse than in the Biduanda Kallang. This form is 
given by the lower jaw not proceeding directly to the ear but form- 
* "While it thus rather fails in the expression, the features arc otherwise 
drawn with great accuracy. With reference to the whole of these lithographs 
I have to express my best thanks to Mr. Wiber for the rapidity with which 
he drew and lithographed them at the last moment. If the haste with 
which they have been produced depreciates their value, he is not responsi¬ 
ble for it. 
■f A.s the head is a remarkable one and very unlike any Malay head I ever 
observed, I shall endeavour to present an accurate drawing of it hereafter. 
