Nov. 10, 1856.] WALLACE ON BORNEO. 203 



peculiarity either does not exist, or is very slightly developed. The 

 average stature of the Dyaks, seems intermediate between the Malaj^s 

 and Chinese, being rather greater than the former and less than the 

 latter, though the local differences are in all very great. Their 

 whole forms are well proportioned, their hands and feet small, and 

 they are seldom so stout as either the Chinese or Malays, while the 

 coronal region of the head, is better developed than in the latter races. 



It is highly curious that countries so distant as Borneo and the 

 valley of the Amazon, between which we can by no possibility 

 imagine any direct communication to have ever taken place, should 

 yet contain indigenes so similar to each other ; for between some 

 tribes of Dyaks and of Amazon Indians, I can call to mind no one 

 physical distinction. We can only explain the circumstance by 

 supposing both to have had a common origin, and shall thus have 

 additional reason for supporting the views of Dr. Latham and others, 

 who consider the Americans as Mongols who have emigrated direct 

 from Eastern Asia. We may also suppose that similarity of climate 

 and other physical conditions, have tended to produce the remarkable 

 resemblance I have alluded to, both tribes inhabiting districts under 

 the Equator, where the surface is everywhere covered with virgin 

 forests, and where excessive heat and moisture constantly prevail. 



In mental capacity it is probable that the Dyaks would be fully 

 equal to the Malays or Chinese, while in moral character they are 

 undoubtedly supeiior to either. They may be said to bear the same 

 relation to the Malays, that the Tartars do to the Chinese. They 

 are simple and honest, and become the prey of the Malay traders 

 and chiefs, who cheat and oppress them whenever they have the 

 opportunity. The Dyak languages are very various, and differ very 

 considerably from each other. In some, nearly half the words are 

 pure or modified Malay, while in others, there is scarcely a word 

 exactly the same in the two languages. In some of the names of 

 places, there is a strange similarity to the Celtic; thus, Penrhissen, 

 Lundu, Siniawen, Senna, are most of them true Welsh names, and as 

 the Celtic languages have an Eastern origin, and there is a con- 

 siderable Sanscrit element in the Malay, and as besides there is 

 reason to believe that Hindoos were once settled in Borneo, it 

 seems possible that these are not mere accidental coincidences, but 

 indications of a common origin of the former inhabitants or lan- 

 guages of Britain and Borneo — countries which we can now only 

 place in juxtaposition, as representing nearly the extreme points 

 on the scale of civilization. 



Having compared the Dyaks with some of the indigenes of South 

 America as to their physical characters, it may be as well to extend 



