TRIBES INHABITING PENA'NG AND PROVINCE WELLES LEV. 85 



improved by Iranian crossing), and to the East African, than to the 

 Himalaic. "While the Australian branch, protected from the 

 Mala jo Poljnesian bj the character of the Southern Continent, 

 preserves a distinct form of language., which connects it with DravL 

 rian. No example has jet been brought to light of a Papuan tongue 

 possessing distinct pronouns and a distinct structure from the 

 Malajo-Poljnesian or Himalayan. Some of the vocabularies 

 contain many upper Asiatic words not found in Mala jo- Polynesian 

 dialects. The Simang dialects, while containing a large number of 

 Malayo-Polynesian vocables, are more Himalaic than the Malayo- 

 Polynesian glossaries. The pronouns have the peculiar forms that 

 were current in the dialects of that branch of the Himalaic people 

 which predominated in the Gangetic basin and its confines before 

 the Arians advanced into it, and which spread its language and 

 civilization eastward till they prevailed from Guzerat to Tonquin. 

 These pronouns and many other common vocables are still used by 

 the Kol or Southal tribes on the Ganges, the Kyi or Kasia in the 

 Brahmaputra basin, the Palaong and the Mon or Peguans on the 

 Irawadi, the Kambojans on the Mekong, and the Anamese on the 

 Tonquin. The Simang and some of the Binua tribes appear to 

 have obtained them at the time when the Mon-Kambojan nation 

 was established on the Irawadi, the Menam and the Mekong, 

 before the Burmans rose into power, and long before the Shans or 

 Siamese advanced westward into Assam and southward down the 

 Menam. separating the Mons from the Kambojans. That a Mon 

 Colony continued to nourish on the Muda down to a period long 

 subsequent to the intrusion of the Arians into India, is evidenced 

 by the rock inscriptions in characters similar to the ancient Mon. 

 which are found in Province Wellesley and on Bukit Mariam. 



The Simang are about the least civilised of the tribes of the 

 Indian Archipelago. They wander in the forest, preying on wild 

 animals, which they kill with spears, arrows and darts from the blow 

 pipes ; their only clothing, a piece of bark round the middle ; and 

 their temporary lairs only protected from the weather by a few 

 branches or leaves hang over two or three sticks. 



Binua. 



These tribes. Himalaic in race, arc scattered over the Southern 



