ÖÖI 8x 3 ^c- 0 - Acehbooks.org

S U M A T R A . 39,
born, whilll the ikull is yet cartilagenous, which increafes their natural
tendency to that ihape. I could never trace the origin of the practice,
or learn any other reafon for moulding the features to this uncouth appearance,
but that it was an improvement of beauty in their eftimation.
Captain Cook takes notice of a fimilar operation at the ifland of Ulitea.
They likewife pull out the ears of infants, to make them ftand erect
from the head. Their eyes are uniformly dark and clear, and among
fome, efpecially the fouthern women, bear a ilrong refemblance to the
Chinefe, in that peculiarity of formation fo generally obferved of thofe
people. Their hair is ftrong, and of a mining black; the improvement
of both which qualities, it probably owes, in great meafure, to the
conftant and early ufe of coconut oil, with which they keep it moift».
The men frequently cut their hair lhort, not appearing to take any pride
in it; the women encourage theirs to a considerable length, and I have
known many inftances of its reaching the ground. The men are beardlefs,
and have chins fo remarkably fmooth, that were it not for the Malay
priefts difplaying a little tuft, we (hould be apt to conclude that nature
had refufed them this token of manhood. It is the fame in refpedt
to other parts of the body, with both feXes; and this particular attention
to their perfons, they efleem a point of delicacy, and the contrary
an unpardonable neglect. The boys, as they approach to the age of
puberty, rub their chins, upper lips, and thofe parts of the body that are
fubject to fuperfluous hair,, with chunam, (quick lime,) efpecially of
fliells, which deftroys the roots of the incipient beard. The few pilze that
afterwards appear, are plucked out from time to time with tweezers,which
they always carry about them for that purpofe. Were it not for the
numerous and very refpectable authorities, from which we are afllired
that the natives of America are naturally beardlcfs, I mould think that
the common opinion on that fubject had been rafhly adopted, and that
their appearing thus at a mature age, was only the confequence of an
early practice, fimilar to that obferved among the Sumatrans. Even •
now I mull confefs that it would remove fome fmall degree of doubt v
from