Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
trace of any other tribes inhabiting the interior of New Guinea, but the coast people are in
some places mixed with the browner races of the Moluccas. The same Papuan race seems to
extend over the islands east of New Guinea as far as the Fijis.
There remain to be noticed the black woolly-haired races of the Philippines and the
Malay peninsula, the former called 'Negritos,' and the latter 'Semangs.' I have never seen
these people myself, but from the numerous accurate descriptions of them that have been
published, I have had no difficulty in satisfying myself that they have little affinity or re-
semblance to the Papuans, with which they have been hitherto associated. In most important
characters they differ more from the Papuan than they do from the Malay. They are dwarfs
in stature, only averaging four feet six inches to four feet eight inches high, or eight inches
less than the Malays; whereas the Papuans are decidedly taller than the Malays. The nose is
invariably represented as small, flattened, or turned up at the apex, whereas the most univer-
sal character of the Papuan race is to have the nose prominent and large, with the apex pro-
duced downwards, as it is invariably represented in their own rude idols. The hair of these
dwarfish races agrees with that of the Papuans, but so it does with that of the negroes of
Africa. The Negritos and the Semangs agree very closely in physical characteristics with
each other and with the Andaman Islanders, while they differ in a marked manner from
every Papuan race.
A careful study of these varied races, comparing them with those of Eastern Asia, the Pa-
cific Islands, and Australia, has led me to adopt a comparatively simple view as to their ori-
gin and affinities.
If we draw a line, commencing to the east of the Philippine Islands, thence along the
western coast of Gilolo, through the island of Bouru, and curving round the west end of
Flores, then bending back by Sandalwood Island to take in Rotti, we shall divide the Ar-
chipelago into two portions, the races of which have strongly marked distinctive peculiarit-
ies. This line will separate the Malayan and all the Asiatic races, from the Papuans and all
that inhabit the Pacific; and though along the line of junction intermigration and commixture
have taken place, yet the division is on the whole almost as well defined and strongly con-
trasted, as is the corresponding zoological division of the Archipelago, into an Indo-Malay-
an and Austro-Malayan region.
I must briefly explain the reasons that have led me to consider this division of the Ocean-
ic races to be a true and natural one. The Malayan race, as a whole, undoubtedly very
closely resembles the East Asian populations, from Siam to Mandchouria. I was much
struck with this, when in the island of Bali I saw Chinese traders who had adopted the cos-
tume of that country, and who could then hardly be distinguished from Malays; and, on the
