2 GO PRESENT STATE OF ETHNOLOGY 



in consequence of the position of the nasal bones. The upper maxilla 

 is much larger than in the European, because of the great develop- 

 ment of the dental process which gives to the visage of these 

 islanders an unusual amplitude. The nasal openings are very large 

 towards the base, even more so sometimes than in the negro. The 

 alveolar process is unusually thick at the sides where the molars are 

 inserted; the palatal vault rather large than long." 



The museum of the Carolinska Institute possesses three samples of 

 brachycephalic Papuans, which all strikingly resemble one another, 

 and correspond perfectly with the above description. I shall only 

 add that they strongly resemble the skulls of Polynesians previously 

 mentioned, only differing from the latter in a greater depression of 

 the bridge of the nose, the largeness of the zygomatic arches, and the 

 amplitude both of the fossa? nasales and the alveolar arch. 



Guoy and Gaimard, who describe only the Papuans of the two 

 islands Yagiou and Ravak, report that their inhabitants call them- 

 selves Papua, and are distinguished by positive marks from the 

 indigenous blacks of New Guinea, who entirely resemble the negroes 

 of Eastern Africa; that they live on the coasts, subsisting chiefly on 

 fish and mollusks, and build their houses on piles in the waters of the 

 country. Those who inhabit the mountains of Vagiou call themselves 

 Alifourous, and are mentioned as Alfours, Haraforas, &c, by different 

 travellers. The skulls in our possession from the islands of this 

 quarter, present the dolichocephalic negro form before spoken of, 

 being narrow, low, and oblong, with a prominent occipital protu- 

 berance. 



We find an interesting paper-" in the Ethnological Library, con- 

 ducted by Ed. Norris, vol. I, descriptive of the Papuans of these 

 parts, from which we learn, on the authority of Lieutenant Bruijn 

 Kops, of the royal marine of Holland, who accompanied an expedition 

 in 1810, and landed on the coast of New Guinea opposite the island of 

 Dori, that the men of the latter, whom he calls Papuans of Dori, are 

 five and a quarter feet, sometimes five and a half, in height, of a dark 

 brown color, occasionally black, having black crisped hair, often very 

 long, though with the appearance at times of having been shaved. 

 In a plate we see one of them represented with the hair dressed after 

 the fashion of a turban, to which these Papuans are indebted for the 

 name of Mops-Papus. M. Bruijn Kops states that the indigenes 

 of New Guinea divide themselves into Papuans and Alforous, the 

 former inhabiting the coasts, the latter the interior and the moun- 

 tains, though the distinction of race between them can at present 

 only be accounted a probability, owing to the imperfect indications 

 afforded by M. Kops. He extols the Papuans as a people intrinsi- 

 cally good, not addicted to theft, holding the aged in respect, kind to 

 their children, and faithful to their wives. Chastity is held in great 

 honor, and but one wife is permitted, the union to whom is for life. 

 They are, however, partial to strong drinks, nor is it discreditable 

 among them to steal children and make an article of commerce of 



« By Mr. George Windsor Earl. 



