The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-25 00:00:00

ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

At the meeting of the society, J. Crawfurd, Esq.
in the chair, the following papers were read :—" A
Visit to the Kibaian Village of Sano Bay, North-
east Coast of Formosa," by Dr. Collingwood ; and
" On the Skin, the Hair, and the Eyes, as Tests of
the Races of Man," by the President.
The account given by Dr. Collingwood is, we
believe, the first which any modern traveller has
given of the inhabitants of this part of the island of
Formosa. The visit was ma le in. June last, when the
author proceeded there from the harbour of Kelling
in H.M.S. Serpent. The object was chiefly the veri-
fication of some supposed dangers in the harbour,
which is spacious and not difficult of approach, and
although little frequented is of importance as the
only available one on the whole east coast of the
island. On the approach of the vessel numbers of
people assembled on the beach from the large Chinese
village of Sano. The following morning a party
landed on the southern side of the bay, where they
were to find the native village, of which no trace,
however, was visible from the ship. They were met
n wereth nb
ne beach c
respect
by a number of men and women, who
either of dress or feature similar
to the Chinese, and with them, after the first ex-
pressions of surprise and curiosity, they entered the
village. This was rudely walled, the entrance being
through doors at either side, by which we passed
into an assemblage of huts constructed chiefly of
grass and bamboos. The grass is woven into a
kind of trellis or mat, and then placed against
the sides, while the chief part of the wall is con-
structed of upright sticks, the interstices being
imperfectly plastered with mud to keep out the wea-
ther. The door is of bamboos, fixed upon a rude
hinge, the lower part revolving sometimes upon the
bottom of an earthen cup to give freedom of mo-
tion. The roof is a thick thatch.of grass. The
interior of these huts contains but little ; a stone
stove, a square flat board in one corner, which did
service for a bed, these appeared to constitute
nearly the whole furniture. Articles employed in
fishing were stuck in the thatch, and a stool or
two was found in most cottages. The occu-
pants of these habitations were a fine race of people,
much superior in good looks to the Chinese, their
features being more regular and well formed, and
their expression decidedly more intelligent. The
complexion was olive, and the eyes wanted the ob-
liquity so characteristic of the Mongol race ; the
cheek bones less high and prominent, the lips some-
what thick, and the chin well turned, giving altoge-
ther a very pleasing expression, neither stupid nor
savage, The hair was usually black, but sometimes
had a decidedly reddish cast, and that of the women
was luxuriant and tied in a loose knot. The phy-
sical proportions were in many cases very striking,
and many men and women were of stalwart propor-
tions. The garments worn were made from a cloth
of native manufacture.
In the skin, hair, and eyes, variety of colour Mr.
Crawfurd considers is a distinguishing characteristic
of the races of ethnological Europe, and rarely be-
longs to others of the races of man. With the races
of Europe we have it of every shade of colour from
flaxen to crow-black. In texture the quality of the hair
is generally fine, soft, and silky, and curls or buckles.
With all other races than European the prevailing
colour of the hair is a uniform black. This applies,
with some exe •ptions, to the Persians, Arabs, and
Syrians. As to the eye, it in a great measure fol-
lows as to colour the complexion. With the races
of Europe, like the kin and hair, its characteristic
is a variety, which obtains with no other. We have
here the grey, blue, haz,3l, brown, and black ; while
in most other races it is either a deep brown or
black. With respect to position, the eye is more
characteristic ; but no particular position is specially
appropriate to any particular race.

THE DISCOVERY OF A BODY IN THE COLNE.--The
inquiry into the circumstances attending the discovery of
the body of Mr. Worswick, railway contractor, in the river
Colne, has been concluded. No further light could be
thrown upon the affair, and the jury returned an open ver
diet of "Found drowned." It was proved that the de-
ceased had shortly before hie death cashed a cheque for
.£45, and the case is altogether surrounded with painful
mystery,