The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1859-11-15
I>TtlNIUs WOMEN.

lsthmus OF Panama, both in the animal and
IN The vegetable kingdom, | was most sur.
rrised by the fine physical development.
syn nmctry, and even beauty Of many of the
women speak now of those Of the light
cr complexion, who. although much darker
than the women Of the United States ap-
peared 10 be Of Spanish blood. aud would
pass for brunettcs. | was Unexpectedly
struck with their fine proportions, erect.
easy aid graceful carriage, aud natural dig
nifty If movement which had seldom if
ever seen IN single individuals. hut there
found 10 bc common. and almost universal
among that class The utmost effort of art.
in training and aicctation, | am sure could
never produce au imitation.
After much attention, and such inquiries
as could make, | came 10 the conclusion,
that enc great cause Is the practice q; carry
ing burlhcnS on the head and others will
be Interested. presume. rs | was, learning
that the females are regularly trained TO this,
from their early childhccd | had often
seen little girls going about with small Gala
bashes balanced ON their heads before |
had any idea Of the object think some
Of the youngest saw thus employed could
not have been mere than four years old /;
vet. surprising. aud indeed will allow in
credible, a. 1t may appear 10 one who has
never witnessed II, they would keep the ut
tie hollow cuurd- balanced IN lis place,
while they stood, walked. or even played
As they grew older, their mothers gave
larger aud larger calabashcs, and gradually
increased their Weight, b, partly filling them.
vt the same time they taught the girls TO
hold themselves perfectly erect. and move
with uniformity and caution, not raising
7 their hands, but resting them ON their hips.
+ bending the elbows aklmbo. As this man
If standing and moving Is considered lndls
/ prnsab.c for every female, the girls seemed
much interested IN acquiring II. as "A wo-
manly accomplishment and ii Was anu
siug 10 see the little creatures moving about.
each with calahash CA her head proper
toned 10 her size. with ali the gravity Of
their mothers aud grandmo;hers, and with
evident pride, especially when they were
large enough TO be entrusted with some
thing of value. And often 1 observed
large calabashes. filled with water. and bas-
kcts heapcl up high with oranges or other
fruits. or packed with great number Of
clothes, from the washing. boruc on the
heads of children, apparently not more than
twelve, or even ten years oi age and al
though .metm, | .c.t much anxiety, lest
the b, arcrs should sink under the weight.
or Uverset ther burtbcns upon the ground.
| 4 al - Il.
Marvellous as 1t Appeared to me. | never
witnessed "a failure OF any kind. during all
The time spen, on the isthmus. And. |
may add, never heard such "A case men
toned by any Of my acquaintance.
This practice as have already remarked
must be favorable 10 the habit of walking
upright; but yet can hardly believe that
there are not some other cooperating caus-
cs, which have favored ;he fine development
, Of form, which | SO much admired Ia
many other countries, where women have
some practice. | believe they are not so high
ly distinguished in this manner.
The hair cf the native females and their
teeth, exceed in beauty any other people |
ever saw. Their taste in decorating them
selves, also. particularly in forming head
dresses, took mc cqually 10y surprise.
At Gatun where we stopped 4 few mo
mcnts on the railroad the appearance Of the
, women excited our whole attertion Al
though all Of them were very scan,iy
dressed. in comparison with females in the
United States generally, and some of them
, wore only single loose garment, all had
their hair dressed in high style, and made a
display with It, such as | had never seen or
heard Of Ii seemed, indeed, as if they all
, had made it their only business, for the
whole day, 10 dress each others hair aud
. there was display Of true taste, IA many
varieties Of ,lc Some # them bad sevc.
, raj broad braids, others, narrower ones
h and these were 50 intcrtwincd, wound about,
hung down or otherwise disposed, often
decorated with flowers of various forms and
D colors, as TO defy description And every
where was seen a superluity of tresses. ]
> do not fear ! shall exaggcrate, when ] say
c that one Of the women, at least, whom
1 particularly Observed, had as much hair on
: her head, a. would have been thought suiii
+ cent for six northern ladies, If equally di
: vidcd and distributed among them