, 1885-09-17
ODDITIES OF ~sAlurArIoN.


An Index Of SatlonaI Character = ssms
Amusng Fortl-- Irasoine Customs
fRro1'i-n ElTia.'
Nothing affords mora interest anl
amusement han an examination of the
various modes OF saiutation pr4cticed by
the nations OF the earth In some de.
gree these iorms may lie regarded as an
index Of national character, or the cir
cuinstan Is OF national life. Tho To-
rev salultation was " eace.' the
ancient Or Elk, -. @ Dice. The modern
use the form, w hat doest thou
n crmany, Low do you ind so r.
s II dni IN some parts OF the
country they invariably kiss the hands
OF all the ladies Of their nc ,uaintance
whom they meet. in pain. low gots
1t and parish grandees wear their
lats in the presence Of their sovereign
TO show they are not SO much Su ect
to him rs TO the rest of the nation.
" hen the royal carriage passes II is the
rule 10 throw open the cloak to show
that tho person is unarmed. In the
West ndies the negroes say: Have you
had a good eep In the sickly dis
tritts Of Egypt whore foyer was com
mon and dangerous, they salute by say
ing, Low goes the perspiratini 10
you sweat c%opIouslyi s It we'll with
thee and the inhabitants kiss the back
OF a superior $ hand as AN extra ciyIlity,
tue palm also
ZONE ngtious seem TO consider that
they cyince the most delicate attention
and respect in their greeting iy a re.
moyal Of so c part Of their wearing ap
p rel. or by temporari Y appropriating
rom portion Of the dress Of the ones
greet d. The Ethiopian will take the
roue OF another and fold it about his
Owl waist, leav ng his friend but scant
lily clad, while the japanese emoves
his slipper when he meets a superior,
exclaiming, Hurt me not, and
the people OF Arracan their
sandals in the street and their
stockings in the house. The Philip.
pine islanders take possession of tue
hand or DOT Of a person they salute and
gently rest il against their W faces;
while this ceremonf among the Lap
landers takes the form of applying their
noses with some force against the sA-
luted ones and treating him TO a spe-
cies OF battering ram greeting. Ac-
cording to Dampier. the people of New
I uinea have a more polite and pictur-
esque way OF exchanging this kind of
AlAt ny hulCu lnt1 w ny pidcluS Ou
their heads the lea es OF trees as being,
it may be assumed, symbolical OF pea,e
and good fellowship.
Their salutations are Of so complex a
nature that this form of politeness is
most deci eddy irAsome and can only be
acquired alter the most assidnous prac-
tice. speaking Of the customs of the
inhabitants of an island in the straits
of the sound, n French traveller tells us
that they raised his left foot, which
they pa sed over the right leg and from
thence over his face. He, however.
omits to enlighten US whether he had
received preyio s Instruction and train
ing before taking part in this singular
procee ing but the effect on a middle
aged gentleman of adermanic proper
tons in performing such an ~aerobatic
salutation o han1 would not, one
would imagine, be unattended with
awkward result Although not so DIM
,ult OF accomplishment the Inhabitants
OF tho hilippines are lovers Of n so o.
what complex attitude in their saluta-
lions, watch consist in benling the body
a. close as pc Ssible to the earth, placing
the palms o tho hands on the cheeks
and then slowly raising one foot in the
air, with the knees Lent.