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PHYSICAL HISTORY OF MAN. 



Mr. James Read, of Philadelphia, "once landed on Pulo Ma.- 

 RiERE, a small island northeast of Jilolo; and found the natives, a 

 very large and fine-looking set of people, and beautifully tattooed." 



On proceeding thence to the Pelew Islands, Mr. Read perceived 

 " a strikino: diminution of stature, together with an entire absence of 

 tattooing :" in these particulars, agreeing with the general population 

 of the Philippines and other East Indian islands. 



After leaving the Hawaiian Islands, the Vincennes sailed through 

 the northern portion of the Ladrone or Marian Group ; and we saw 

 in the distance Grigan and Assumption, two isolated mountains 

 rising abruptly out of the sea, with their summits concealed by 

 clouds. We had now entered a region where the development of 

 coral is less extensive; and what is of importance in regard to the 

 subject of migrations, we here reached the limit of the monsoons. 



I had previously at San Francisco, seen a Ladrone Islander; and I 

 had no difficulty in referring him to the Malay race, not perceiving 

 any traces of even mixed descent. The stature was a little below the 

 European standard; the complexion, full as dark as in the Califor- 

 nians and Hawaiians around ; and his small eyes and half-open eye- 

 lids, were perhaps an individual peculiarity. 



JAPANESE. 



An American whale-ship arrived, as we were leaving the Ha- 

 waiian Islands, having on board four or five 'natives,' who had 

 been taken from an islet " not represented on the charts, situated in 

 about N. lat. 30°. They had been driven thither by bad weather, in 

 a small boat, which resembled the flat-bottomed skiff's of New Eng- 

 land. The islet though high, aflbrded scarcely any other vegetation 

 than low reeds ; and they had been obliged to subsist principally on 

 sea-birds (gannets, &c.), uncooked. They had remained there seve- 

 ral months, and were in a famishing condition. When they came 

 on board the vessel, they made a low bow, placing the hands together 

 in front; and being allowed to stay, they soon learned to assist the 

 crew ;" but the youngest only, a half-grown lad, had acquired some 

 words of English. " They kept sacred one day in every fortnight, com- 

 plaining 'that our Sunday came round too often;' and they gave an 

 exact account of the number of days and moons they had passed on 



