Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 8.djvu/233

 MALAY WOMEN. (461)

HOSE represented in the picture are natives of Rhio, an island fifty miles south of Singapoor. The men are occupied as petty traders, fishermen, wood and timber cutters. They are not migratory; they live upon rice and fish, and seldom eat meat. They do not usually attain any great age, but become prematurely old. The two women and the girl in the picture are of high birth, the lad standing behind and the woman in the spotted jacket in front are attendants. They dress in native silks and sarongs, fine muslins and chintzes.

The Malayan family approximate closely to the ruder or more purely Mongolian type of native India, and the identity in person and character is accompanied by a close agreement in habit, customs, institutions and arts, so as to place beyond doubt that the lank haired population of the islands have been received from the Gangetic and other Indian races. The influx of this population closed the long era of Papuan predominance, and gave rise to the new or modified forms of language which now prevail. It is generally supposed that when they entered upon their new scene of conquest the 1Ialays spread from the Menang Kabser district of Sumatra. In all the seaports and coasts of the Archipelago the Malays are a tall handsome class, whose faces, eyes, and well shaped features betray the presence of Arab or Indian blood. The Malayans of Penang and province Wellesley are described as short, five feet two or three inches being considered the average height of a man, and that of a woman two inches shorter. Their bones are large and clumsily put together, but strongly knit, and the whole frame robust and capable of much labour The body is fleshy and muscular, legs remarkably so; thighs so large as to become unwieldy. The women are pretty when young, but soon show signs of old age. They become wrinkled and haggard after bearing a few children, and in old age are hideous.

Malays are frank, courteous, and honest, brave, generous, and sensitive to a fault: grave at times, and anon overflowing with mirth in youth; in advanced life sedate. They are proud, and, if ill treated, revengeful; but, under generous