176 SUPPLEMENTAL HISTORY OP MAN. 



influence of very material diversities of climate; 

 yet, from the southern extremity of China to the 

 banks of the Oby, these nations preserve, with 

 little variation, their original and peculiar charac- 

 ters. It is remarkable, too, that whatever difference 

 of colour is observable among them, is fatal to the 

 theory of climate, inasmuch as the Mongolian races 

 in the higher latitudes, are darker than the same 

 people in more southern regions. 



We find two very distinct races of men inhabiting 

 the various islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. 

 The one approximating very closely to the charac- 

 ters of the Negro, the other differing from them 

 widely, and from similarity of conformation and 

 language, generally referred to a Malay origin. We 

 find these different races constantly localized, with- 

 out any correspondence to the diversity of climate. 

 The woolly headed-black is found in the high south- 

 ern latitudes of Van Dieman's Land, and the fair 

 Otaheitan approaching the Equator. The fairness 

 of the Sumatrans beneath a vertical sun and in a 

 region unknown to winter, is considered by Mr. 

 Marsden as conclusive against the opinion, that co- 

 lour is the effect of climate. If the theory which 

 we combat were true, it would follow that the 

 African tribes beneath the Equator should be the 

 blackest of mankind, and that as we recede from 

 this line, the people should grow gradually of a 

 lighter hue. But on the contrary, the Abyssinians 

 near the Equator are olive-complexioned and have 

 long hair, and are surrounded by Negroes. The 



