MAIDENS WITH MOUSTACHES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6138, 26 March 1898, Page 3

MAIDENS WITH MOUSTACHES.

THE QUAINT AINU RACE

(Peavson'i Weeltly.)

The world of science has just been roused to unusual interest by a reporfc of the Commercial Geographical Society of France, giving details concerning a race of monstached white women who inhabit tho island of Yeso, one of the north-west of the Japanese grbiip. Tho facts which the report furnishes are those learned by A. M. Klabukowski, an explorer and delegate of the society, who has recently returned from a visit to the strange people described. The existence of the Ainus, as the race to which those peoplo belong is called, has loug boen known to ethnologists, and Mr Klabukowski has the honour of being the first explorer of modern times to penetrate the country and look upon it and its people with the keen eye of the ethnologist.

He is believed to be the only white man who has gained reliable information concerainE the womeu, whose moustaches aro equal to those ever worn by any member of their race.

These women aro massive in appearance, and, in fact, appear to better physical advantage than the men. Thoy have high cheek-bones and aro distinctly Caucasian.

They do not have that ghastly yellowish complexion characteristic of the Chineso and Japanese, but rather bear every appearance of whito women, who havo lived much in the open air. Their moustaches, when natural, are always black and silky, and are invariably turned up at both ends.

It seems that not overyone can grow a moustache What is the cause of this fact no ono apparently knows. Thero is not even a native explanation, except the ono found in the statement that tho moustache is an indication of the caste or rank of the owner thereof.

Tho peculiarity is all the more strange for the reason that the Ainus are a decidedly hairy race, their whole bodies being generally covered with hair that is naturally soffc and silky. If, however, one of the women passes tho age of fourteen with no trace of a moustache appearing her parents tako it for granted that Nature has tabooed her so far as moustaches are concerned, and proceed to supply the defect, in appearance at least, by the aid of tattooing.

Tho skill which these people possess of imitating the moustache by these means is remarkable. Indeed, at a distance it is almost impossible to tell whether or not the moustache is Pennine or imitation.