44 The Gardens of the Sun. [ch. hi. 



believed to be the descendants of the aboriginal popula- 

 tion. These reside in the interior of the country, some 

 of the tribes even construct their rude dwellings in the 

 trees, and wherever land culture is by them adopted it is 

 of the most rude and primitive description. As a rule, 

 their life is nomadic. Dr. Maclay visited these people in 

 1875, and the following are some of his observations 

 respecting them: — * 



" These people are thoroughly disinclined to improve- 

 ment of any kind in their mode of life, intellectually or 

 otherwise, although it is not occasioned by want of 

 opportunity nor from want of brain. 



" 3. That these tribes are gradually becoming extinct 

 not only the Malays, but also they themselves are fully 



aware. 



"This process of extinction is due mainly to the 



following causes : — 



"a. The constant advance into the jungle of the 

 Malay and Chinese population displaces the 

 original occupiers of the soil, who retire into 

 greater solitude. 

 " b. Owing to frequent intermarriages between the 

 Malays and the 'utan' women, the latter 

 race is becoming intermixed into the former, 

 and this mixed race is fast increasing. 

 " In spite of the almost foregone conclusion with 

 which I set out upon my journey, and after severely 

 criticising upon my return the observations I made, I 

 cannot doubt the fact of the existence of an aboriginal 

 non-Malayan population. Furthermore, previous experi- 

 ence and intimate knowledge of the Papuan race lead me 

 to the conviction that this aboriginal population is not 



* " Journal of Eastern Asia." July, 1875. Triibner & Co. 



