74 



THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



DYA WOMEN AX 



race of Xegritos. The Bajans, or "Sea Gypsies," may be classed with the second group. 

 They were known to the Portuguese when they first reached Malaysia. De Barros then described 

 them as "a vile people, dwelling more on the sea than on the land," and "living by fishing 

 and robbing." This description may still be not unfitly applied to them. 



The Malays proper, or "Malay Men," constitute that section of the race which, under the 

 influence first of the Hindus, who settled in Sumatra as far back as the fourth century of our 

 era, and then of the Arabs, has developed a national life and culture, and has founded more 

 or less powerful political states in various parts of the archipelago. The chief divisions of all 

 the civilised communities are as follows: 



Malays Proper live in Menangkabo, Palembang, and Lampong in Sumatra; petty states 

 of the Malay Peninsula; Borneo, Tidor Termite. 



Sumatran Group : Achenese, Rejangs, Passomahs. 



Javanese Group : Javanese proper, Sundanese, Madurese, Balinese. 



Celebes Group: Bugis, Makassars, and others. 



Philippine Group: Tagalas, Bisayans, Bicol-Sulns, etc. 



Outlying Groups : Hovas of Madagascar, Formosan Islanders. 



Perhaps the principal characteristic of the Malay is his easy-going and indolent nature. 

 He is generally gentle, quiet, extremely civil in manner, not wont to rebel against authority: 

 he never openly expresses surprise or fear, and in speech is invariably slow and deliberate. 

 Malays seldom offend one another, and never indulge in' rough behaviour or anything which 

 might be called "horseplay." In all matters of etiquette they are very particular, and in this 

 respect the upper classes behave with the dignity of European gentlemen, although they have 

 a natural tendency to suspicion, which causes their manners to lack the frankness which is 

 typical of the educated Englishman. In contrast with this there is a dark side to the Malay 

 character, which often manifests itself in the most pitiless cruelty and contempt of human 

 life. Hence murder and robbery with violence are of somewhat frequent occurrence. Many 

 travellers describe the Malays as gentle and peaceable, while others dwell on their brutality 

 and ferocity, and it is only by bearing in mind the two opposite sides of the Malay character 

 that we can reconcile descriptions so apparently contradictory. The Malays dislike manual 



