Caucasian costume: the sheep-skin bonnet and collarless frock, with loose hauging sleeves, fitted closely to the body, fastened by loops in front. The trousers are wide above, and gathered tightly over the knee and calf, and covered to the middle of the leg with gailygartered galoches; the shoes are remarkably neat, of red morocco trimmed with silver, or of black leather or ox-hide, but they are without soles. On each breast is a row of ten cartridges; a rifle is slung over the shoulders, a pistol in the belt behind, a broad dagger in front, and a sabre at the side. The costume is uniform in its most trifling details and adjustment, so as to give a group of men the appearance of one family, except the calpac or bonnet, which is of lamb, sheep, or goat-skin, crisp and curly, long and shaggy, thick and bushy the cloth of the dress is coarse, and of grey, straw, or brown colour. The winter garments are sheep-skin doublets, worn with the wool inwards under the tunic; a hood of stout frieze covering the calpac and shoulders; and a large cloak of thick brown felt.* The costume of the mounted warrior is very picturesque; as a brown surtout silver laced, sometimes open at the breast, and displaying a gleaming shirt of mail; black pantaloons, puce leggings, red shoes, sabre, bow, and quiver; and a white turban, with a red cap and long purple tassel. These coats of mail were doubtless introduced by the Egyptian Mamelukes, and we shall hereafter find them worn in the interior of Africa. Tartars. The wandering tribes of northern and middle Asia, consisting of Tartars, have little to boast of in the way of costly costume. The common dress is a cotton robe and drawers, sometimes trimmed with wool, and red is the favourite colour. Garments of skins are also worn; and a young Tartar has been known to have the fresh hide of a horse thrown over his naked body, and cut, fitted, and stitched into a dress in an hour or two, which only wanted to be tanned by continual wearing. The Calmucks have scarcely any clothing but a strip of cloth about the waist. The Mongols wear sheep-skin dresses, with the wool inwards, and the better classes furs. But the dress is nearly as various as the people. In the northern countries furs are much worn. state. These observations apply only to the native d Hindostan, for "no Christian of European descent, bu ever remote, ever wears a native dress. Rich In British ladies, on the other hand, attire themselves in the latest and newest fashions of London and Paris, greatly to their disadvantage, since the Hindostane costume is so much more becoming to the dark counte nance and pliant figures of eastern beauties;" those of an inferior class care less about fashion, provided the style be European, so that it is not uncommon to see a drummer's wife in blue satin, pink crape, blonde lace or silver lama dresses, and other second-hand European finery. The general costume of the Hindoos is as follows:The men have two fashions of dress, one very ancient, the other partly adopted from the Mahomedans. The ancient dress is in three pieces of cotton cloth, one bound round the waist and falling to the knee, another wrapped round the body, and the third round the head The other attire is cotton drawers, a long robe tied with a scarf, and a turban; this is the regular dress of the Hindoos; but the poorer classes have often only a picca of cloth wrapped around the loins. The head is usually shaved, except a lock behind, and small mustachios are worn. The dress of the females is very elegant; the close part is a halfsleeved jacket, the remain der is a large piece of silk or cotton wrapped round d the middle, falling gracefully below the ankle of. one leg, while it gracefully displays a part of the other. The upper end crosses the breast, and is thrown b ward again over the head or shoulder. The mate rials are generally cotton, but in some of the higher, regions, the colder climate renders general the wear ing of woollen cloth and even of furs. The clothes of the different classes differ mainly in degrees of fineness, the rank of the wearer being indicated by a profusion of jewels, en broidery, and gilding. Hindostanee Woman. The warlike Toorkmans of the deserts between Balk and the Aral are a handsome race; they wear the tilpak, a square or conical black sheep-skin cap, which is far more becoming than a turban. They are very fond The extreme ugliness of the dress adopted by the of bright-coloured clothes, and choose the lightest red, most refined nations of Europe, is nowhere more ap green, and yellow, for their flowing pelisses. The head-parent than in British India, where it is contrasted with dress of the ladies would grace an English ball-room; it consists of a lofty white turban, over which is thrown a red or white scarf that falls down to the waist; but they never veil. Ornaments are sometimes attached to the hair, which hangs in tresses. The other part of their costume consists of a long gown reaching to the ankle, and hiding both it and the waist, which are standard points of beauty in our country Siberia and Kamtschatka furnish rich and soft furs, which, however, are only worn by the higher classes, or exported for the wealthy of other countries. The most valuable fur is that of the weasel, called the sable; and next, the black fox. The dress of the poor Burettas, in Siberia, consists of a pelisse of dressed goat or sheep-skin, with the hair or wool worn inside or outside, according to the season. It is mostly trimmed with common fur, and painted with black and red stripes about the neck and shoulders. The hair is worn in a long plait, hanging down the back from beneath a peaked shaggy goat-skin cap." + India. The vast country of Hindostan presents inmerable circumstances favourable to the characteristies of costume; in its antiquity as the seat of oriental pomp, in the richness of its products, greater than those of any other country, ancient or modern, and in the variety of races and castes which distinguish its social the flowing garments of the natives. The round sailor's jacket and tight trousers, brought by the early factors from their ships, are worn to this day in India; and the men are clothed from head to foot in white cotton, in which the coxcomb can only distinguish himself by the quantity of the starch. The officers of the Idian army, when on duty, wear jackets of thin scarlet or blue Cashmere, China crape, or China silk; and young civilians sometimes appear in full dress swallow-tailed coats of China crape. In India, dress is rarely varied; and accordingly fe things surprise the natives more than the changes is European fashions. The dresses of the ladies, there fore, are plain, if not dowdy, in comparison with the gorgeous show of the Asiatic groups; and in warm weather bonnets are dispensed with, and the hair is worn in the plainest manner. There is not so great a variety of oriental costumes at Calcutta as might be expected: some of the Armenians appear in their national dress; a few Hindoo and Mahomedan ge tlemen are clad in very picturesque attire; and a Chinese physician may be seen in an old tumble-down chariot. Some of the native shoes are very handsome, but can only be worn by foreign residents as slippers; the points are peaked and turned up, and the shoe itself of cloth or velvet, stiffened with embroidery. Most of the shoenmakers of Calcutta are Chinese, who * Miss Roberts's "Scenes and Characteristics of limba live in one wide street, and are always well dressed in | Dacca, muslin* is made richer, softer, and more durthe rich silk upper costume of their country. Berares is celebrated for its rich displays of costume. A native noble wears a velvet turban, so richly embroidered as to resemble a cluster of precious stones; the vest and trousers are of crimson and gold brocade, a Cashmere shawl is wound round the waist, a second shawl is thrown over the shoulder, and the belt of his scimitar, and the studs of his robe, sparkle with diamonds. The costly gold and silver tissues of Benares are worn as gala-dresses by all the wealthy classes of Hindostan as robes or turbans; silver and gold lace are very cheap here; and the trinkets of Benares, as chains, necklaces, ear-rings, and bangles, are at once elegant and massive; pearls are much worn by the natives, and strings of the size of pigeons' eggs are frequently displayed round the necks of rich men; and diamonds are worn in similar profusion. The dress of the nautch, or singing and dancing girls, is very picturesque; it consists of gay silk trousers embroidered with silver; rich anklets strung with small bells; the toes covered with rings, and a silver chain across the foot; over the trousers is worn a petticoat of rich stuff, very full, and deeply trimmed and fringed with gold or silver; the vest is almost hidden by an immense veil of rich tissue, which crosses the bosom several times, and hangs, in broad end, at the front and at the back. The hands, arms, and neck, are covered with jewels, and in the hair are worn silver ribbons and bodkins. The ears are fringed with rings, and through the nose is worn a large gold wire ring, from which hang a pearl and two other precious gems. Bombay, in its mixed population, presents several varieties of costume, as that of the wealthy Parsee, shown in the annexed cut, with collarless white muslin frock over scarlet silk trousers, long sharp-toed slippers, and high purple or chocolatecoloured cap, figured with white flowers. A Parsee lady wears a tight satin spenser with short sleeves, embroidered and fringed with gold bells, and a satin mantle thrown round the body and over the head, like the Spanish mantilla; large pearls are worn in the ears, and emeralds in rings on the toes. The Parsee. able than elsewhere; and the calicoes,† ginghams, and chintzes of Coromandel are unrivalled, though almost excluded from the European market by cheap and close imitations. Silk is manufactured in taffetas, brocades, and embroidered tissues. The woollen fabrics of the northern provinces have been already mentioned. China. The most familiar representations of these extraordinary people and their quaint costumes, are to be seen upon their" china ;" and Viscount Jocelyn‡ remarks, that "it is wonderful how correct they are in the main features." Here they are shown to be well clothed; and they are more completely so than the other nations in the south of Asia. The extremes of heat and cold which characterise the climate of China at opposite seasons of the year, have led to a marked distinction between the summer and winter dress of the better classes. But the difference is principally in the cap, which in summer is of finelywoven bamboo, of conical shape, with a blue, white, or gilt ball at its point, whence falls, all around, silk or red horse-hair fringe. The winter cap is circularcrowned, and a broad brim, turned up all round, and faced with velvet or fur; at the top of the crown is likewise a ball, whence falls just over the dome a bunch of crimson silk. The changing of these caps with the season is of such importance as to be notified in an official gazette. A small skull-cap is commonly worn within doors in cold weather. The summer garment is a long loose gown of light silk, gauze, or linen; in full dress, worn with a silken girdle, to which are fastened the fan-case, tobacco-pouch, bag for flint and steel, and sometimes a sheathed knife and chopsticks. In winter a large sleeved spenser is worn to the hips, over a dress of silk or crape, which reaches to the ankles. This spenser is of fur, silk, or broad-cloth, lined with skins; and the neck, which is bare in summer, is in winter covered with a collar of silk or fur. The loose dresses fold over to the right breast, where they are fastened by buttons and loops; and the button, by its shapes and sizes, denotes the rank of the wearer. In summer the breeches are loose; and in winter a pair of tight additional leggings are worn. Chinese Tradesman. The costume of the native islanders of Ceylon is at-Woven silk or cotton stockings are worn; and in wintractive. The Cingalese women of rank wear, over coloured silks or satins, a white muslin robe embroidered with flowers and spangled with gold. The chemise las lace ruffles and trimming; and in the hair are worn gold and tortoise-shell combs, and pins set with gems. The men of the middle class wear muslin waistcoats and jackets, the women short shifts and petticoats of printed cotton. The poorer classes wear simply a thick fold of coarse muslin wrapped round their bodies. The poor Candian mountaineers go almost naked, but the higher classes are arrayed in superb tissues and embroidered muslins, and a square cap or round turban covers the head. The Malabars wear gold ear-rings nearly a foot in circumference, set with large gems; but those worn by the women are much smaller. They wear a single piece of muslin folded round the waist, hanging below the knee, and gracefully thrown over the shoulder, so as to cover the body and leave the arms bare; and the hair is merely combed and turned up behind and before. ter boots of cloth, satin, or velvet, with white soles, by persons of certain rank. On state occasions the under dress is splendidly embroidered in silk and gold, and the caps are crimson, with various coloured balls. The fur dresses of the higher classes are expensive, and descend from father to son. Little linen is worn, and the body garment, sometimes of light silk, is very rarely changed. The manufactures of India furnish the most costly materials for clothing, and her mines yield the finest diamonds in the world, and other gems in abundance. Ceylon, too, furnishes pearls and chank-shells, much worn by the Hindoos, Cotton, the native material of India, is there worked into the most elegant forms: in Nevertheless, the costumes of all ranks and orders about the imperial palace are observed at Pekin with as much precision as in any court of Europe. Fashion, too, has its votaries; a Chinese fop being dressed in costly crapes and silks, boots or shoes of black satin of Nankin, embroidered knee-caps, cap of exquisite cut, and button of neatest pattern, an English gold watch, a tooth-pick attached to a string of pearls, and a scented Nankin fan; and such a personage is attended by servants in silk dresses. The head of the men is shaven, except at the top, whence the tail hangs after the Tartar custom; they capital of Mesopotamia, upon the western bank of the Tigris, and * Muslin is said to have been named from Mosul, formerly the one of the greatest entrepôts of eastern commerce. ↑ So named from Calicut, the once proud capital of Malabar, whence this cotton cloth was first exported. Six Months in China. have little beard; but the shaving of the head employs a great number of barbers; in mourning, however, the hair is allowed to grow. The dress of the women is modest, and of exquisite silks and embroidery, of bright and permanent gloss and colour. Pink and green are favourite colours, But they are never worn by men. The ordinary dress is a large-sleeved robe over a longer garment, under which are loose trousers fastened at the ankle, and embroidered shoe, proverbially small, about four inches in length and two in breadth, the feet being barbarously compressed from infancy. Unmarried women wear the hair in long flowing tresses down the back; after marriage it is twisted up towards the back of the head, and ornamented with bodkins, flowers, and jewels; and at a certain age, a silk wrapper is worn round the head. Females of all ages daub their faces with red and white paint. They pass most of their Chinese Woman. time at home in music, drawing, or embroidery; and the handsome crape shawls taken to England are entirely the work of women. The general material of the dresses of the peasantry is nankeen, dyed of various colours, black and blue being most common. The men wear loose trousers tied round the waist, underneath a smock-frock. They protect the head from the sun by a very broad umbrella-shaped hat of bamboo slips, which in winter is exchanged for a felt cap; and in rainy weather they have a flax or reed cloak, from which the water runs as from a pent-house.* Shoes are rarely worn by the peasants, but some protect the feet with sandals of straw. The women wear on the forehead a velvet peak, adorned with a bead, and the hair combed back, and kept together by a loop of leather, and ivory and tortoise-shell bodkins. The girls wear their hair in long plaits, but after marriage it is twisted into a hard knob at the crown, and ornamented with artificial flowers; and even the poor peasant girls pique themselves on their small feet, which they deck with embroidery, whilst the rest of their dress is poor and mean: even the poorest market-women of Canton, though clad in rags, protrude their little bandaged feet into notice. The uniform of the Chinese soldiers is loose trousers and jacket, often with "valour" inscribed on the back, and a coloured cloth wrapped round the head; some dresses are studded with brass knobs, to imitate armour, and the cuirasses and helmets are of polished steel, the latter bearing red and brown plumes; they appear all arms-matchlocks, bows and arrows, swords, shields, and quilted breastplates; but the paper helmets, wadded gowns, quilted petticoats, and clumsy satin boots of other troops, are most unmilitary. The islands upon the coast of China offer a few peculiarities worth notice. At Macao, the Chinese servants wear full white breeches and leggings, blue gartered, and wooden-soled shoes; and the porters blue shirts, short trousers, and straw or glazed hats tied under the chin. The Tartar women, who row the passage-boats, wear a long blue Nankin frock over black waterproof trousers, and a handkerchief is bound diagonally over the head, and tied under the chin. The Chinese pilot is sheltered from the storm by a broadbrimmed hat and cape of palm-leaves, somewhat like the husbandman. The Portuguese women of Macao wear loose figured calico gowns and scarfs over their heads; and if not taking the air in sedan chairs, are followed by a slave bearing an umbrella. * Dower's Chinese." The dress of the Loo Choo islanders is graceful and picturesque : it consists of a loose coloured robe, ge rally of cotton, wide and long sleeved, with which a always worn round the middle a belt wrought with ma and gold flowers; the robes of grown persons are mostly plain, but those of the children are gaudy printed with flowers. In rainy or cold weather, a st of thick blue cloth great-coat is worn by the charts only, and buttons in front over the robe. All mana wear straw-soled and banded sandals; the upper clams have white cotton socks, buttoning at the outside, and having a place like the finger of a glove for the gra: toe. The hair is invariably pulled tight up all rond into a compact knot with two pins, so as to conceal crown of the head, which is shaved. On state occas only, is worn a kind of turban, made by winding a bra. band diagonally. The poorer classes tie a coloured c or handkerchief round the head, and wear a thin outton body dress. The men wear no ornaments, nor ar they tattooed; they all carry fans, to keep the sun frum striking hot upon their skulls, and short tobacco-pa and pouches in their girdles. The women are mest neglected, and even restricted from using fans. T islanders of Hainan and Formosa wear scarcely a clothes; the natives of the latter are almost sava and tattoo their skin like the rudest of the South-S Islanders. year The manufactures for clothing in China are numerous. Silk is the staple of the empire, and Chinese fabrics are still unrivalled in richness, th they are very little worn in Europe: it is, however, stated that the Chinese keep the best silks for th selves. Nankin cotton (which grows of the colour we wear it) is not so worn by the Chinese, i dyed blue, black, and brown, when it is the gro clothing; some cotton is, however, imported. Wo garments appear to be only worn by persons of ra The beautiful crape shawls have been mentioned s fans, tortoise-shell, mother-of-pearl, and silver fig ornaments, the Chinese artisans are only rivalled their Japanese neighbours. Furs to a great amo are received in China from North America; that of red fox is used for trimmings and linings of robes, is variegated with the black fur of the paws. Japan. The characteristic intelligence of the Jatar ese is strongly marked in their dress, which they ar rendering substantial and becoming, instead of indu that passion for glitter and show which is evident all the rest of Asia. Their principal garment is a pa silk or cotton robe, large and loose like a bed-gown, a girdle. Within doors, socks are the only coverm the feet; abroad are worn shoes, or rather soles, of r straw, matting, or wood, mainly kept on by an up pin or button, held between the two principal t which, for this purpose, project through the socks i difficulty of lifting a foot thus shod in walking may count for the awkward gait ascribed to the Japa Upon entering any house, these shoes are taken off. The head-dress constitutes the chief difference, point of costume, between the sexes. The men sta the front and crown of the head, and draw the re upwards, and tie it in a tuft upon the bald skull. I. priests and physicians shave off all their hair; w surgeons retain all theirs, gathered into a knot at t top of the head. The women arrange their luxurs hair into the form of a turban, and stick it full of p of fine tortoise-shell, so highly polished as to rese gold. No jewellery or trinkets are worn. The face painted red and white; the lips purple, with a g glow; and the teeth of a Japanese married lady a blackened, and her eyebrows plucked out. Net men nor women wear hats, except as a protection tr rain, or when on a journey; a conical hat of pin grass or oiled paper is then tied with a string the head; and the fishermen generally wear these s The fan serves as a guard from the sun, and it is t seen in the hand or the girdle of every Japanese; soldiers and priests are no more to be seen with their fans than fine ladies are. The uses of the 1 are almost endless: dainties are handed upon it; the beggar holds out his fan for alms; the fop uses it instead of a switch; the school-master for a cane; by the presentation of a fan, death is announced to the highborn criminal, his head being struck off at the moment that he stretches it towards the fan. There is great pride in wearing swords, and they are never laid aside. The higher orders wear two swords on the same side; the next in rank wear one.* Vast numbers of rice-straw shoes are consumed by all classes. They cost, however, a mere trifle; and the pedestrian supplies himself with new shoes as he goes along; whilst the more provident man always carries two or three pair with him for use, throwing them away as they wear out. The consumption must thus be very great; for the Japanese travel in their own country more than perhaps any other nation. East Indian Islanders.-The dress of the native population of the East Indian Archipelago partakes somewhat of the close-fitting European and the loose flowing Asiatic costume. The principal tribes are the Javanese and Malays. tribes being distinguished as Arabs, and the inhabitants of cities as Moors. The better class of Tripolines have a long and a short dress; the former worn by elderly men and persons of great consequence, and the short worn generally. This consists of a tight waistcoat resembling a Guernsey frock; over it a gold-laced waistcoat, and a jacket with embroidered sleeves; these are confined at the waist by immense trousers of silk or cloth, and a broad belt of silk or gold; and over the jacket is worn an embroidered sleeveless waistcoat. The long dress consists of the two under waistcoats, and over them a longsleeved gown, embroidered. Over both dresses, which are of the gayest colours, are worn Bornouse or woollen cloaks, bordered with gold lace. The turbans are various; those of Cashmere shawls are the most splendid; green can only be worn by the descendants of the prophet; and blue is confined to the Jews. The boots, shoes, and slippers, are of yellow morocco leather, the staple manufacture of the country. The women dress magnificently, wearing a silk shirt of many colours in stripes, highly embroidered waistcoat, silk trousers, and The poorer classes of Javans wear a handkerchief a large silk wrapper of gaudy colour, so put on as to neatly tied about the head, tight drawers reaching to form a petticoat, and hang over the head and shoulders, the knee, and a saroug or sash of bright-coloured showing only one eye; a cap of cloth of gold is worn calico thrown over the shoulder, or around the hips, with many rich ornaments on the head; the eyelids whence it falls like a petticoat. The saroug is not are stained with antimony; much rouge is used; and unlike the Scottish Highlander's plaid, being a piece the ear-rings, anklets, and bracelets, of gold and silver, of parti-coloured cloth, six or eight feet long, and three are very massive. The dress of the Jewish women or four feet wide, sewed together at the ends. In varies from the preceding chiefly in showing both eyes rainy weather, a basin-shaped basket-hat is worn; but instead of one; they can wear only black or yellow in clear weather, it is carried in the hand. A loose slippers, and boots are prohibited. Altogether, the jacket is also worn. The Mahometans wear a turban- above is a most gorgeous costume. like cap; but the other inhabitants have the head naked. Algiers presents a picturesque variety in its populaA Javan prince copies his dress from the European tion of Moors, negroes, Jews, and Kabyles, or Beresettlers; he wears a dark cloth jacket, with gold-laced bers. The costume of the Moors consists of a loose cuffs and collar, a cravat of the fashion of fifty years head-dress, a shirt, large breeches, an embroidered ago, the only native taste being a handkerchief on his jacket of coloured cloth, a large white outer mantle, head, and a sarong hanging about the lower limbs. and slippers; and in winter, stockings. In the streets, The native court-dress is, however, a full robe wrapped the poorer Moorish women are veiled, and look like about the waist, and falling over pantaloons, the upper phantoms; the richer Mooresses wear fine linen, borpart of the body entirely naked, long flowing hair, a dered with silk; the hair is bound with blue silk ribflower-pot cap, and a straight sword and curved dagger bon; and over an embroidered silk-velvet jacket, with in the waistband. The body is smeared with yellow, and silk lace ruffles from the elbows to the fingers, and silk richly ornamented with gold trinkets. The war-dress pantaloons to the knees, is worn an embroidered silk consists of a long-sleeved robe, pantaloons, close cap, gown, like that of a European lady; morocco slippers, sword, dagger, and long spear. a veil, shawl, ear-rings, bracelets, armlets, and a necklace, complete this costume, which differs from ours principally in the absence of stockings and petticoat; and the gown is only worn occasionally. The children of the Moors are dressed exactly like their parents, the little girls wearing veils, and the boys turbans. Possibly the above admixture of European fashion may be one of the results of the colonisation of Algiers by the French. The Jews generally dress like Europeans; their women wear a gilt wire cap, slanting a yard back from their heads, giving them, as Mr Campbell tells us, "the appearance of dragon flies;" they stain their hair and eyebrows "to the frightful resemblance of a red cow's tail."* Their costume often presents the extremes of poverty and wealth; as a pair of ragged small-clothes, and a crimson-velvet and gold jacket, and embroidered silk sash. The Berebers cover themselves with a black woollen garment like a sack, which is made to last generally a whole life, and is never taken off; and the head-dress is a woollen cap, like a priest's cowl. The women dress much like the men; they tattoo their legs and arms, and stain their hands and nails, but never veil; and they delight in trinkets. Both sexes wear buskins, like those of the ancient Romans; and any one who repairs a cap which is wholly repudiated at Algiers is considered a fop. Sumatra has some rude races, who tattoo their skins, and otherwise resemble the South-Sea Islanders; and me few wear no clothing at all. Yet in this island is wrought gold and silver filigree, the only fine manufacture in the Archipelago. The Bugis, the best-armed natives, make their own guns, spears, daggers, and swords; and their chiefs wear a chain-shirt of plaited iron or copper wire. Of this tribe, with Malays, Javans, Chinese, "head-hunting" Dayaks, and a few Europeans, is the population of Borneo made up; and with the addition of East Indians, that of Singapore. It will be seen that Asia possesses an abundance of the superb materials of dress, which, conjoined with the semi-barbaric condition of a great proportion of its itabitants, and the consequent taste for glittering disunctions, renders this by far the most striking portion of the earth in the characteristics of costume. AFRICAN COSTUMES. Africa presents fewer distinctions of costume than ther of the other great divisions of the globe. This may be in consequence of its population consisting, in the main, of Moors and negroes. The former, inheriting the industry of the original Arab invaders, display most taste in their dress; but that of the gay and hospitable negroes has considerable picturesqueness, although consisting of few and simple materials. Moors, Arabs, Berebers.-These distinct classes form the population of the Barbary States, the wandering Manners and Customs of the Japanese. The general costume of the Arabs is a large loose shirt and cotton trousers; sandals, or red leather halfboots, laced; a red hanging cap, with a blue silk tassel; a woollen wrapper worn round the body, and thrown over the head, and hanging down the back; and the Bornouse mantle. The dress of the females differs but * Letters from the South. little from that of the men. The poorest class have them; they are thrown over the shoulder like the only the wrapper or scarf, which is passed over the Roman toga; a small silk fillet encircles the temples, head and fastened at the waist; others have a woollen and strings of gold beads, coins, and rings, are wors gown with short sleeves. The young women wear their round the neck, wrists, arms, and ankles; the sandals hair in tresses, decorated with beads, coral, and a silver are of fine green, red, and white leather. Lumps of crescent, and they wear a large blue woollen turban; rock-gold hang from the left wrist, which are supported also silver ear and neck rings, and charms against dis- on the heads of boys; and wolves' and rams' heads, of orders and misfortunes. All the women tattoo them-cast-gold, as large as life, hang from the sword-handles. selves, and stain their hands and nails, but they never The warriors wear caps of eagles' feathers, and of paudye their hair; they wear red laced boots, like the men. golin and leopard skin, the tails hanging down behind; An Arab belle is almost covered with tattooed flowers, their corslets are of leopard skin, covered with god open hands, circles, the names of gods, and of her cockle-shells, and stuck full of knives sheathed in gold friends; and she often wears two or three pounds' and silver; and their cartouch-boxes, of elephant hide, weight of jewellery. are similarly ornamented; silk scarfs and horses' taik stream from their arms and waist-cloth; iron chains and collars dignify the most daring; and the sides of their faces and their arms are curiously painted in long white stripes, having the appearance of armour. Even the executioner wears on his breast a massive gold hatchet. The splendour of all Ashantee pageaua is enhanced by large umbrellas or canopies of the mes showy cloths or silks, crowned with emblems in gold The countries of central Africa, explored by Denham, Clapperton, and Lander, present many interesting portraitures of costume. The principal garment is the tobe, a linen or cotton garment not unlike the surplice of an English clergyman in shape and volume; it hangs loosely over the person, and is suitable to a climate in which any kind of tight garment would be oppressive. The costume of the negresses of Soudan is very remarkable, in the hair being stretched over a high pad, helmet-shaped, and the head bound with coral and other bead fillets; the necklaces are of coral and gold, and the ear-rings very large; glass armlets and anklets are worn; and the upper and under shirts are blue and many-coloured stripes; and a whitish dress, braided pink, with blue waist and wristbands, and a yellow close cap, bound with red, make a very effective costume upon the dark negro person. The negroes of the Sheikh of Bornou may be noticed here: they wear coats of mail composed of iron African Woman-Kingdom chain, which cover them of Bornou. from the throat to the knees; some have helmets or skull-caps of the same metal, with chin-pieces; and their horses' heads are defended by plates of iron, brass, or silver, with holes for the eyes. This armour, especially the skull-cap, is like that of the Parthians sculptured on the Trajan column, and subsequently adopted in the Roman army, and then introduced into Africa. Negroes of Western Africa.-The clothing and ornaments of these people have great variety; different tribes, and people of the same tribe, indulging in a diversity. This passion for dress is not surprising, if we recollect that the negroes have all the requisites for beauty, save colour; and that the mineral wealth of their country enables its chiefs to indulge in barbarie magnificence, which is astounding to more civilised nations. The poor negroes are content with a coarse cloth wrapper; but the rich wear robes of silk, velvet, and Indian chintz. Red mantles, gold and silver lace, ribbons, and veils, are much in request among the women; and bracelets, rings, and anklets, are worn in profusion. The hair, or rather wool, is as carefully dressed with palm-oil as the flowing locks in other countries, and is entwined with gold; and painting the face and tattooing are common. The general dress is a large-sleeved shirt reaching to the knees; and a high pointed cap is much worn. The Kroomen, on the Grain Coast, wear round their waists shawls and blue cloths, which they purchase at Sierra Leone. The Ashantees behind the Gold Coast, who are altogether a superior class, dress in barbaric splendour. The Ashantee cloths are of extravagant price, from Costly foreign silks which are unraveled to weave Modern Egyptians.-Egypt has long been rainy occupied by Arabs, whose manners and customs are combination of those which prevail most generally in the towns of Arabia, Syria, Northern Africa, and, in a great degree, Turkey, whose characteristics of costume have already been sketched. Nevertheless, the Arab Egyptians are to be regarded as not less genuine Arabs than the townspeople of Arabia itself although their dress has points of resemblance to the costumes of all the countries referred to above, it will be found to possess great originality of character and interest. 66 and The dress of the men of the middle and higher chas has remained almost the same during the lapse of cer turies. It consists of a pair of full drawers, of linen cotton, descending a little below the knees or to the ankles; a full-sleeved shirt of linen, cotton, or silk, over which, in cool weather, is worn a short vest of cleta er striped coloured silk or cotton, and a long vest of da latter materials descending to the ankles, and having full sleeves divided from or little above the wrist A coloured shawl or piece of white figured muslin is wer round this vest as a girdle; and the usual outer robe i a long cloth coat with or without sleeves. The turla consists of white muslin, or a Cashmere shawl w round a close red cloth cap, with a dark blue silk tal at the crown, beneath which is worn a close cotton The head is shaved, except just at the crown; and tachios and moderate beards are common, Socky occasionally worn, but stockings are not in use: the shoes are of red morocco, pointed and turned up at the toes; and sometimes these are worn over yellow more shoes. In the girdle is worn a case-knife, a dagger, a case for ink and pens. The pipe is generally carried and the tobacco-pouch and handkerchief are cram into the bosom of the outer vest. The humbler classes wear drawers, and a full linen, cotton, or brown woollen gown, wide sleeve and open from the neck to the waist, where is times a white or red woollen girdle. Their turban white, red, or yellow woollen, cotton, or muslin, r a white or brown felt cap. The poorest classes wer only this cap, and the brown or blue gown, or merelys few rags. In cold weather, they sometimes wear can black or variously-striped woollen cloaks. A blue and white plaid is likewise worn over the shoulder wrapped about the body. The shoes are of red or yellow morocco, or of sheep-skin. The turban is the most distinctive article of Egyp dress; it is generally of black, blue, grey, of brown, to distinguish the Moslem wearers from Copts and the Jews. The form of turbans now wor Egypt does not vary much: the Turkish is elegant, the Syrian is very wide. A descendant of the prop alone is privileged to wear a green turban. We may Lane's Account of the Manners and Custome of the Mar Egyptians. |