le.] [275]"* * * The natives of these islands are generally
well made, and bear strong marks of activity and muscular vigor;
they are in general somewhat larger than the Javanese, and bear some
affinity in the features of their faces to the Malays; their noses
are however more prominent, and their cheek bones not so high, nor are
their skins so dark. Their hair is of a jet black, made glossy by the
constant application of coconut oil, as is the custom in all India,
and drawn together and knotted on top, in the manner of the Malays. The
women display great taste in the arrangement and decorations of their
hair, which they secure with silver or gold bodkins, the heads of
which are frequently composed of precious stones."

[Mixed blood.] [276]"* * * A very considerable proportion of the
population of Manila is composed of the mestizos; they are the
offspring of the intermarriages of the Spaniards with the native
women, and these again forming connexions with the whites, or with
the native Indians (the latter, however, less frequent), combine
in stamping upon their descendants a great variety of features and
shades of color; a general resemblance is, however, to be traced, and
waiving color and manners, a mestizo could not easily be mistaken for
a native. This class of the inhabitants is held in nearly the same
estimation as the whites. They are very cleanly in their persons,
and neat in their dress, which, among the males, consists generally
of a pair of cotton trousers of various colors, as fancy dictates,
and shoes in the European manner, a frock, or tunic, of striped grass
manufacture, worn outside the trousers, in the manner of the Asiatic
Armenians (but without the sash, or girdle), the collars of which are
tastefully embroidered, and thrown back on their shoulders; a European
hat completes their costume, which is light, cool and airy, and after
a stranger has been a short time accustomed to see what he at first
would call a perversion of dress, his prejudices subside, and he has
no hesitation in pronouncing it very proper and graceful. They are
remarkably fine limbed, and well built, the females especially, who
are really models of the most complete symmetry; their hair and eyes,
which unlike their skins, seldom vary from the original jet black of
their native parents, bestow upon them the primary characteristics of
the brunette. This people, unlike the generality of mixed colors in
the human race, have been improv