WD540(95)

‘Maphoon, The Hirsute faced Woman of Ava, and her child.’

THIS extraordinary object is fully described in the Report, page 110. A Portrait of her as a child, together with that of her father, will be found in Crawfords ‘Embassy’ to Burmah in 1826.

Maphoon is now a woman of 31 years of age, and the mother of two children. The eldest has no peculiarity about him; but the infant, otherwise a very pretty child, is already exhibiting the peculiarities of his mother. A fringe of hair is seen across the forehead, a small quantity under the eyes, and from the ears large bunches of soft hair, full 3 inches long, are pendant.

The features of the mother, unmasked from the hair, would evidently have formed a very comely woman. The mouth was very pretty; the expression of the eyes, near which the hair was fined off, exceedingly pleasing and gentle; whilst the modesty of her manners, and her affectionate tenderness and anxiety for her child, were altogether so womanly and amiable, that a short time was sufficient very greatly to remove the unpleasant impression which her appearance at first created.