186 SUPPLEMENTAL HISTORY OF MAN. 



five feet five or six inches. The women are still 

 less; their proportions are by no means robust, 

 and they are remarkable for the smallness of their 

 hands and feet. The Esquimaux are not very 

 stupid, nor much distinguished for intelligence. 

 They have very imperfect notions, if any, of a Su- 

 preme Being, and some rude ideas of a future state. 

 They exhibit considerable ingenuity in the con- 

 struction of their houses, their canoes, their clothes, 

 and various implements. They appear remarkable, 

 notwithstanding the severity of their climate for 

 longevity. 



The Malay division, a fifth variety of the human 

 race, is, as we have observed, but ill defined. It is 

 made to embrace more diversified and contrasted 

 portions of mankind than any of those before men- 

 tioned. It is difficult to assign to them any com- 

 mon characters. We may say, in general, that the 

 colour is brown in various shades, from a light tawny 

 to almost a black. The hair is black, copious, and 

 generally curled. The head is rather narrow ; bones 

 of the face prominent ; nose full and broad ; and 

 mouth large. Under this variety are generally 

 classed the natives of the peninsula of Malacca, of 

 the islands of Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Celebes, and 

 the adjacent isles ; of the Molucca, LadrOne, Phi- 

 lippine, Marian, and Caroline clusters ; of New Hol- 

 land, Van Dieman's Land, New Guinea, New Zea- 

 land, and all the islands of the Pacific Ocean. The 

 enterprising spirit of these people has induced them 

 to migrate considerably, but whether these several 



