610 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



shape of the skull, and other physical features, as well as in their 

 usages and mental qualities. Several tribes approach the Indo- 

 nesian type, as found in Borneo and Celebes, while others re- 

 semble the Malays, and are described by travelers as belonging 

 to this race. But, although there is no ethnical uniformity, as 

 seemed probable from the reports of the early explorers, the Pap- 

 uan element, whence the great island takes the name of Papuasia, 

 certainly predominates over all others. 



On the whole the Papuans are somewhat shorter than the Poly- 

 nesians, the average height being about sixty-two to sixty-four 

 inches. They are well proportioned, lithe, and active, and display 

 surprising skill both in climbing trees and in using the feet for 

 prehensile purposes. Most Papuans have a very dark skin, but 

 never of that shiny black peculiar to the Shilluks of the White 

 Nile, the Wolofs of Senegal, and some other African peoples. 

 The eyebrows are well marked, the eyes large and animated, the 

 mouth large but not pouting, the jaw massive. Among the 

 northwestern Papuans, regarded by Wallace as representing the 

 type in its purity, the nose is long, arched, and tipped downward 

 at the extremity, and this is a trait which the native artists never 

 fail to reproduce in the human effigies with which they decorate 

 their houses and boats. Another distinctive characteristic of nu- 

 merous tribes is their so-called mop-heads, formed by superb 

 masses of frizzly hair, no less abundant than that of the Brazilian 

 Cafusos, and, as in their case, possibly indicating racial inter- 

 minglings. 



However backward they may be in other respects, most of the 

 Papuans are endowed with a highly developed artistic feeling, and 

 as carvers and sculptors they are far superior to most of the Ma- 

 layan peoples. Having at their disposition nothing but bamboos,, 

 bone, banana-leaves, bark, and wood, they usually design and 

 carve with the grain — that is, in straight lines. Nevertheless, 

 with these primitive materials they succeed in producing ex- 

 tremely elegant and highly original decorative work, and even 

 sculpture colossal statues representing celebrated chiefs and an- 

 cestors. Thanks to this talent, they are able to reproduce vast his- 

 toric scenes, and thus record contemporary events. Numerous 

 tribes have their annals either designed on foliage or depicted on 

 rocks in symbolic writing. The skulls of the enemies slain in 

 battle, which are carefully preserved to decorate the houses, are 

 themselves often embellished with designs traced on masks made 

 of wax and resin. On the banks of the Fly River these skulls 

 are also used as musical instruments. 



The island of Tasmania has already been completely " cleared " 

 by the systematic destruction of its primitive inhabitants, who 

 were estimated at about seven thousand on the arrival of the 



