IN BORNEAN FORESTS [chap. 



speak of the natives of Borneo, and especially of the Malays, in 

 a general way, as unities. Thus Sukadana, Banjarmasin, and, some 

 say, Sarawak (Low, Op, cit. p. 94), are Javanese settlements ; Pasir 

 and Koti, on the east coast have been peopled by Bugis from 

 Celebes. At Sambas and Pontianak the Arabs predominated, not 

 to mention a large Chinese element and their descendants through 

 unions with Dyak women who for many generations have 

 washed for gold in that region. 



The Malays of Borneo, who inhabit the coast and are given to 

 commerce, are thus, I hold, to be considered as the outcome of 

 an ancient and long-continued fusion of numerous and very different 

 ethnic elements, principally Hindus, Burmese, Chinese, Siamese, 

 and Annamites, with a marked infusion of Arab blood, to say 

 nothing of other factors resulting from piratical expeditions, 

 -slavery, and the importation of women robbed from other native 

 tribes. 



It is not easy to say what race of mankind originally peopled 

 Borneo in remote antiquity ; but it is in my opinion not impro- 

 bable that the Negroid x race was spread over all Southern Asia 

 and the numerous dependent islands in the distant past. Of this 

 race more or less unaltered remains are to be found in the Anda- 

 manese, and in the Aetas or Negritos of the Philippines ; and 

 — less pure — in the Samangs and other Selangian tribes of the Malay 

 Peninsula. The very dark skin and the curly hair of many natives 

 of India are, I think, traces of what remains in them of the Negroid 

 element after the Aryan invasions. 



In conclusion, I believe that any Malay submitted to an analy- 

 tical investigation of an anthropological nature will be found to 

 be the outcome of an amalgamation of various ethnic types. 

 And it is for this reason that I regard them as a secondary, much 

 mixed, and hybrid race. 



From what we have seen, then, regarding the origin of the 

 Malays of Sarawak, it is plain that their physical characters must 

 be equally varied, and that it is not easy to give a good compre- 

 hensive ethnological description of their appearance. Certain 

 characteristics, however, are pretty constant. They have little 

 or no beard, but when they manage to grow a few hairs with a 

 faint semblance to a moustache they cultivate them with great 

 care, and are very proud of them. It may be said of the Malays 

 that their skin is brown, and that they never have a prominent 

 nose, it being usually depressed. Their eyes are often straight, 

 but as often oblique, like those of the Chinese ; the cheek-bones 

 are prominent, the chin is small, the lips regular but full. Their 

 hair is very black and smooth, but, as they generally wear it short 



1 This term, which I consider most appropriate, was first proposed by 

 Professor Henry H. Giglioli. 



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