1052 OF THE HUMAN FAMILY, AND THEIR MUTUAL RELATIONS. 



probably to be regarded as having constituted distinct races from a very early 

 period; these are the Malayo-Polynesian race, and the Pelagian Negroes or 

 Negritos. 



1061. The Malayo-Polynesian group is by far the more extensive of the two ; 

 and comprehends the inhabitants of the greater part of the Indian and Poly- 

 nesian Archipelagoes, with the peninsula of Malacca (which is the centre of the 

 Malays proper), and the inhabitants of Madagascar. These are all closely united 

 by affinities of language. The proper Malays bear a strong general resemblance 

 to the Mongolian races, and this resemblance is shared, in a greater or less degree, 

 by most of the inhabitants of the Indian Archipelago. They are of a darker com- 

 plexion, as might be expected from their proximity to the equator ; but in this 

 complexion, yellow is still a large ingredient. The Polynesian branch of the 

 group presents a much wider diversity ; and if it were not for the community of 

 language, it might be thought to consist of several races, as distinct from each 

 other as from the Malayan branch. Thus the Tahitians and Marquesans are tall 

 and well made; their figures combine grace and vigor; their skulls are usually 

 remarkably symmetrical ; and their physiognomy presents much of the European 

 cast, with a very slight admixture of the features of the Negro. The complex- 

 ion, especially in the females of the higher classes, who are sheltered from the 

 wind and sun, is of a clear olive or brunette, such as is common among the 

 natives of Central and Southern Europe ; and the hair, though generally black, 

 is sometimes brown or auburn, or even red or flaxen. Among other tribes, as 

 the New Zealanders, and the Tonga and Friendly Islanders, there are greater 

 diversities of conformation and hue ; some being finely proportioned and vigorous, 

 others comparatively small and feeble ; some being of a copper-brown color, others 

 nearly black, others olive, and others almost white. In fact, if we once admit 

 a strongly marked difference in complexion, features, hair, and general con- 

 figuration, as establishing a claim to original distinctness of origin, we must 

 admit the application of this hypothesis to almost every group of islands in the 

 Pacific; an idea of which the essential community of language seems to afford 

 a sufficient refutation. Among the inhabitants of Madagascar, too, all of which 

 speak dialects of the same language, some bear a strong resemblance to the 

 Malayan type, whilst others present approaches to that of the Negro. 



1062. The Pelagian-Negro races must be regarded as a group altogether 

 distinct from the preceding ; having a marked diversity of language ; and pre- 

 senting more decidedly than any of the Malayo-Polynesians the characters of 

 the Negro type. They form the predominating population of New Britain, 

 New Ireland, the Louisiade and Solomon Isles, of several of the New Hebrides, 

 and of New Caledonia ; and they seem to extend westwards into the mountain- 

 ous interior of the Malayan Peninsula, and into the Andaman Islands in the 

 Bay of Bengal. The Tasmanians, or aborigines of Van Dieman's Land, which 

 are now almost completely exterminated, undoubtedly belong to this group. Very 

 little is known of them, except through the reports of the people of Malayo- 

 Polynesian race inhabiting the same islands; but it appears that, generally 

 speaking, they have a very inferior physical development, and lead a savage and 

 degraded life. There is considerable diversity of physical characters among 

 them; some approximating closely in hair, complexion, and features, to the 

 Guinea Coast Negroes ; whilst others are of yellower tint, straight hair, and better 

 general development. The Papuans, who inhabit the northern coast of New 

 Gluineaand some adjacent islands, and who are remarkable for their large bushy 

 masses of half-woolly hair, have been supposed to constitute a distinct race ; but 

 there is little doubt that they are of hybrid descent, between the Malays and 

 the Pelagian Negroes. To this group we are probably to refer the Alfourous, 

 or Alforian race, which are considered by some to be the earliest inhabitants of 

 the greater part of the Malayan Archipelago, and to have been supplanted by 



