NO. II MELANESIANS AND AUSTRALIANS HRDLICKA 43 



by the Philippine galleons ; but in general the blacks who reached the 

 territory were African. They admixed the natives especially about 

 the more frequented ports, such as La Paz, and they or their de- 

 scendants could not but have left some of their skeletal remains with 

 those of the Indians. That this actually happened has already been 

 noted, and that it influenced the theories of the peopling of the pe- 

 ninsula will be shown later. 



PHYSICAL CHARACTERS OF THE LOWER CALIFORNIA ABORIGINES 



None of the explorers, missionaries, or others who ever came in 

 contact with the natives of Lower California calls them anything but 

 Indians, and none makes any allusion to anything other than Indian 

 concerning their looks or behavior. This has some weight, for among 

 the explorers and especially the missionaries were men of education, 

 who, moreover, were well acquainted with the Indian elsewhere. 

 What statements there are concerning the physical characteristics 

 of the natives in question show them to be only Indians. The relevant 

 notes are as follows : 



1539. Ulloa (1810, vol. 3. pp. 478-486) : 



The next day wee rode at anker here [southern parts of east coast Lower 

 California] for lacke of good weather to sayle withal! : whereupon the Captaine 

 determined to goe on shore with nine or ten in his company, to see whether 

 there were any people there, or any signe of people that had bene there, and 

 they found on the maine land seuen or eight Indians like to Chichimecas, which 

 were gone a fishing, and had a raft of canes ; . . . . these Indians were of great 



stature and saluage, fat also and well set, and of browne colour luan 



Castilio the Chiefe Pilot went that day in the bote on shore with seuen in his 

 company, and they landed neere the Sea, and on a certaine low ground they 

 found foure or fiue Indians Chichemecas of great stature, and went toward 

 them, who fled away like Deere that had been chased. After this the Pilot 

 went a little way along the Seashore, and then returned to his boate, and by 

 that time he was entered thereinto, he saw about fifteen Indians of great stature 

 also, with their bowes and arrowes. 



1759. Venegas (p. 58) : 



Of all the nations hitherto discovered, the [Lower] Californians are at least 

 equal to any in the make of their bodies. Their faces also are far from being dis- 

 agreeable, though their daubing them with ointments, painting them, and boring 

 holes through their nostrils and ears are very great disadvantages. Their com- 

 plexion indeed is more tanned and swarthy than that of the other Indians of 

 New Spain. But they are in general robust, vigorous, and of healthy countenance. 



1773. Baegert (pp. 357-358) : 



In physical appearance the [Lower] Californians resemble perfectly the 

 Mexicans and other aboriginal inhabitants of America. Their skin is of a dark 



