150 REPORT—1874. 
dually, perhaps, but still withont any great break, from the Kashmiris to the Dogras, 
who themselves are related not distantly to the people of the plains of India. _ 
The races spoken of are those which make the great majority of the population 
of the various districts mapped. In some parts these are mixed up with the small 
numbers of the remnants of the pre-Aryan inhabitants. Among the Dogris and 
Paharis, the tribes or castes called (in ascending order of social position) Dums, 
Meghs, and Dhiyars are of this older blood. Among the Kashmiris, a low caste, 
called “ Batal,” seem from their position and occupations to have a similar origin. 
The Dards also, and the Tibetans as well, contain certain classes whose partial 
social separation from the others may denote that they have sprung from such an 
old source; but if so, they have become much more nearly allied, by mixing of 
blood, to the Dards and Tibetans respectively, whom they live with, than is the 
case with the low castes among the Dogras. : 
Maps illustrating the subject of this paper have been prepared, one of which, 
enlarged, was shown to the Section. The author desired it to be understood 
that it was chiefly the information on geographical distribution of the races as 
laid down on this map that was original ; the enumeration of most of the races had 
been made by previous authors; especially was acknowledgment due to Sir G, 
Campbell’s paper “On the Ethnology of India” in the Journal of the Asiatic 
Society of Bengal. 
The Degeneracy of Man. By the Rev. Josrrn Enxins, Peking, China. 
This paper was divided into four sections. In the first the question was stated. 
Races occupying a continent are more civilized than those which inhabit islands 
at a great distance from continents. The intellect of nations sinks in power under 
geographical conditions of an unfavourable nature. 
The influences which tend to improve the human race and aid its progress 
were enumerated, viz. genial climate, intercourse with civilized races, religious 
training, the discovery of metals, &c. 
The unfavourable influences were then detailed, viz. loss of knowledge, restricted 
acquaintance with nature, &c. 
Asia was probably the birthplace of the whole human family ; and the question 
is, therefore, whether the inhabitants of Polynesia, America, and Africa are not 
all degraded Asiatics, and the Europeans improved Asiatics. 
To help in solving this question linguistic, moral, ‘social, and religious facts 
must be collected and compared. 
This paper simply drew together a few facts from China, Polynesia, and America. 
Though the question of degeneracy chiefly affects savages, the paper stated that 
there were some things in regard to China which deserved consideration. 
The second section treated of China. China, though isolated by the Tartarian 
desert and the mountains of Tibet, showed vestiges of communication with the 
west, both recently and in extreme antiquity. 
The old signs of connexion with Westérn Asia were the cycle of sixty, made by 
the combinations of ten and twelve, a dual philosophy, a hebdomadal division 
of time, a doctrine of five elements, which require us to assume ancient connexions 
with Babylon, ‘I'o these should be addéd the arts of weaving, writing, astronomical 
calculations, divination, agriculture, which seem to show that Chinese primeval 
civilization was certainly not self-originated. 
Subsequently the degeneracy of China was prevented by the opening up of 
communication with the west and by other causes, such as the establishment of 
education through the country. 
The extension of the Chinese empire, so as to embrace Turkestan and Cochin 
China, about 1900 years ago, and the introduction of Buddhism, which taught the 
Chinese Hindoo science, and with it Greek science, powerfully tended to prevent 
the decline of the Chinese intellect. 
It was then pointed out that China has been a civilizing mother to all the neigh- 
bouring nations. Corea was civilized, and J apan through Corea, The coins, paper 
money, politics, and arts of Japan are all copies of Chinese types. 
