Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

I RACE-CHARACTERS OF NEGIUrOS 49
The eyes of the E. vSemang (Pangan), when they are of pure blood, have
the conjunctiva of a deep yellow colour ; whereas the Sakai (Blandas) do not
{v. sitpra).^
The E. Semang (Pangan) show no traces of short-sight and are " at the
top of the scale " in quickness of observation ; this quality, however, standing in
inverse ratio to the progress made by their tribe in civilisation.
Hearing.
The ears of the Semang that we observed were
distinctly small, and their hearing appeared ordinarily-
acute. In one case, however, that of a youngish man,
slight deafness was noticeable.
The sense of hearing among the E. Semang (Pangan), though not so acute
as among the Jakun, is nevertheless sharper than among the more civilised
W. Semang, Sakai (Blandas), or Tembeh (Temia).
On the other hand, exceptional sharpness of hearing occurred more frequently
among the W. Semang than among any of the other tribes mentioned.-^
Hands and Feet.
There is no doubt that these wild nomadic tribes
frequently meet with accidents. Out of the few men
that we measured, one suffered from a deformed finger,
and another had lost the little toe of his left foot.
It is very difficult to answer the question concerning the usual position of the
palm of the hand, i.e. whether it is directed forwards, or backwards, or sideways.
The hands are so constantly occupied in the case of both sexes that they are very
seldom at rest. So far, however, as he (V.-St. ) had been able to observe it, the
palm was held sideways by the Negritos, i.e. directed towards the leg or a little
towards the front, whereas by the Sakai (Blandas) and Jakun it was directed
backwards.
The aborigines were at first much perplexed by being asked whether when
their fist was closed they could still stretch out one finger of the hand without
unclosing the others. Both the Semang and Sakai (Blandas) could, however,
do this very easily when it was explained to them.
In measuring the width of the span between the thumb and the little or
middle finger, he (V.-St.) was struck by their inability to open their fingers
freely.''
The most noticeable point about the feet of the
Semang is the remarkable inward curve of the hallux,
1 Z.f.E. xxix. 176. ^ //'. p. 182.
^ lb. p. 181. ^ lb. pp. 190, 191, 194.
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