POLY^ESIA^ FISHfcRMFV. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



THE PAPUANS AND POLYNESIANS. 



The Papuans — Their Physical and Moral Characteristics — Their Artistic Tastes — 

 Their Dwellings — Their Primitive Political Institutions — Their Weapons and 

 Mode of Fighting — The Polynesians — Their Manners and Customs when first 

 visited by Europeans — Tattooing — The Tapa Cloth — Their Canoes— Swimming 

 Feats — Aristocratic Forms of Government — The Tabu — Eeligi on— Supersti- 

 tious Observances — Human Sacrifices — Infanticide — Low Condition of the Coral 

 Islanders. 



TWO races of man, widely differing from each other in 

 character, social condition, and physical conformation — 

 the Papuans and the Polynesians — are spread over the islands 

 of tlie Pacific and the archipelagoes of the Coral Sea. The 

 Papuans who occupy the area comprising New Guinea, New 

 Ireland, New Britannia, New Caledonia, the New Hebrides, the 

 Solomon Grroup, Loyalty, and many other islands of minor 

 importance, are in stature equal to if not surpassing the average 

 European size. Their legs are long and thin, and their hands 

 and feet greater than those of the Malays. The face is 

 somewhat elongated, the forehead flat, the brows very prominent, 

 the eyes sufficiently large and well formed, not too deeply set. 



