66 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



era end of the island, to be more distinctly Polynesian in character 

 than those inland and toward the west. 



Returning now to the dark Papuan tribes of the remainder of New 

 Guinea, we find that here also there is some difference of opinion. Ow- 

 ing to the coast tribes being usually at war with those of the interior, 

 these latter have been described by them as a different race, and have 

 been called by the Dutch and other writers Alfuros * or Harafuras, a 

 term applied to any wild people living in the interior of a country, as 

 opposed to the coast tribes. This has led many writers to class the 

 natives of New Guinea into Papuans and Harafuras, terms which are 

 still sometimes used, but which are quite erroneous as implying any 

 physical difference or any distinction of race. Dr. Meyer, who has seen 

 much of the people of the northwest coast, considers that there is no 

 difference of the slightest importance between the coast and inland 

 tribes, but such as occur in every race. Dr. Miklucho Maclay concludes 

 that the Papuan stock consists of numerous varieties, with no sharp 

 lines of demarkation. Dr. Beccari, however, differs somewhat from 

 the preceding writers ; and as he explored a great range of country, 

 and made repeated visits to the western half of New Guinea, his opin- 

 ion is entitled to great weight. He thinks there are three distinct types 

 of Papuans. One is dwarfish, with short woolly hair, skin almost or 

 quite black, nose much depressed, forehead extremely narrow and slant- 

 ing, and with a brachycephalous cranium ; these he terms Oriental ne- 

 groes or Primitive Papuans. They do not now exist as a race, but are 

 scattered among the interior tribes, and their description accords very 

 closely with that of the Negritos of the Philippines and the Semangs of 

 the Malay Peninsula. The next are the Typical Papuans, who are most 

 widely spread, and present most of the characteristic features we have 

 already described. The last are the Mafu or Mafor Papuans who in- 

 habit Dorey and the shores and islands of Geelvink Bay, and are prob- 

 ably scattered all round the western coasts. They form the highest 

 type, with fine Jewish or European features, a better intellect, and a 

 somewhat more advanced civilization. These people divide the year 

 into lunar months, each with a proper name, and have names for the 

 four cardinal points, for many stars, and for entire constellations. Dr. 

 Beccari believes them to be the result of an intermixture (at a remote 

 epoch) of Hindoo or Caucasian blood with the indigenes of the island, 

 and he even traces a connection between their rude mythology and that 

 of the Hindoos. 



A curious point of physiological detail may here be noticed as lend- 

 ing some support to this theory. Almost all observers have remarked 

 that the fully developed Papuan mop of hair is not a general feature 

 in any of the tribes, but occurs sporadically over a wide area, is highly 



* The term is derived from the Portuguese "fora," out or outside; Alfores being ap- 

 plied to tribes out of or beyond the settlement on the coast (Windsor Earl's " Papuans," 

 p. 62). % 



