Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-05-11
Hairy People.
Tho lima &c Lii

Hairy people, though sufficiently
rare, are occasionally met with in
that part of the world which has given
Krao to Mr.. Farini. There are now
living at Mandalay three such per-
sons, mother, son and daughter, who
have the whole of their bodies GOV.
cred with long silky hair of deep
brown color, but paling over certain
parts of the face. When Mr.. Crawford
visited the Court of Ava, in 1926, he
was shown a man named Shway-
Moung, the progenitor Of these PEG.
pie, who was also similarly distin.
guished. he gives sketch of the
man, whom he designates hirsutus
homo. This individual, whose for
bears were said to have come from an
Eastern State tributary to Burmab,
had then an infant daughter, Maphoon,
who inherited the hirsute popularity
Of her sire. On the occasion Of Capt.
Yule's visit to the Burmese Court, in
1885, Maphoon, now a matron, waited
on the English party with her hus.
band (non hirsute) and her two sons.
Only one Of the boys took after his
mother, but shortly atterWard the
lady was blessed with daughter who
developed the maternal characteristics
in marked degree. The family are
perfectly intelligent, the SON following
the occupation of a carpenter. When
European visitors we're more frequent
at Mandaylay than now, they used to
make a good deal of money by exhib-
itlng themselves. AT one time they
refused to appear for any deceur under
thirty or forty rupees. The features
ofthe son approach somewhat to the
European type, while those of his
mother and sister are distinctly Bur-
mese. 1t makes one smile to read of
Mr.. Brock, who conveyed Krao 10
England, offering a reward for the
capture" of a specimen" Of these
hairy people, as if they ran wild in
their native woods. European specu
latOrs have often tried to get possession
of the Hairy Family"lat Mandalay,
but the Court will not hear Of their
expatriation. An Italian IS said to
have offered to marry Maphoon-of
course before she got a Burmese hus.
band-provided he might be allowed
to carry her out of the country.
Those of our readers who are acquain,b
ed with Miss Birds travels in Japan
will recollect her description of the
Amos, who. she states, arc completely
covered with hair and have features
ALMOST European in type. They live,
to the number of about $4,000, In a
mountainous district not far from the
sea, and are supposed to be the origi>
nal inhabitants of the island. Miss
Bird appears to have contracted
liking for these Ainos,aad sue regards
them as superior, physically and even
morally, to the Japanese, who have
supplanted them. She tells how she
was ferried across q river by an Aino,
completely covered by hair, which
on biz shoulder was wavy like that Of
retriever and rendered clothing quite
needless, eithAF for covering or
warmth" Nh. Darwin is said TO have
characterized this popularity as a
reversion to thel primitive type, and
there can be no doubt whatever that
early man did possess complete GOV.
ering of hair. The few rude sketches
of our palmOlithig anpest1rs which we
possess, carved in fragments Of mann
moth ivory or deer's horns, represent
men as having hairy bodies and, oddly
enough, with the beard and poll Of
the Aino. Hairy people are not
unknown in Europe. A few years
back a sensational paragraph went the
round Of the European press announc,
ing the discovery in IVasary Sf a
man with q complete natural covering
Of hair. In 1854 Evelyn records tLa,
he saw hairy woman, whom he 0s
scribes as having, besides beard and
mogstacheg, Ions lSsks growing in the
middle OF her nose A Snowman of
the name Of Vanbeok secured the lady
against all corners by marrying her
being more fortunate in his matrimo.
NAL speculation than Maphoon's eager
Italian lover,