THE NEGRILLO RACE. 



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NEW GUINEA. 



The Malays at Singapore, have a few Negrillo slaves ; who, how- 

 ever, might readily recover their freedom, were they sufficiently well- 

 informed to take advantage of the laws. I met with three of them ; 

 and notwithstanding an air of contentment, they seemed to be rather 

 passing with the crowd than belonging to it. Their stature was 

 dwarfish, even amidst the surrounding population. Their com- 

 plexion was not darker than in the Telingans of Eastern Hindostan. 

 One individual had the mouth unusually wide ; and in all three the 

 features were coarser than in the Negro race; the forehead being 

 more retreating, and the lower part of the face yet more projecting. 



According to the missionaries, the Malays uniformly declare, " that 

 this class of people come from Papua (or New Guinea), and are 

 brought by the Bugis." Dr. Dickenson had visited Tidore ; where 

 "he had witnessed the common importation of this description of 

 slaves, together with birds of Paradise, direct from New Guinea." 

 These statements being somewhat at variance with other accounts of 

 the population of New Guinea, seem to call for further remark. 



We learn from Forrest, that commercial intercourse takes place 

 across the western peninsula of New Guinea, by means of the deep 

 gulf or inlet : and further, that slaves are brought to the harbour of 

 Dory from the eastward. The accounts obtained by Morrell and 

 Jacobs, of the population of the Interior of New Guinea, and the 

 discovery by them of a large river emptying into Geelvink Bay, may 

 probably furnish the required explanation. 



It appears further, that proas occasionally visit the harbour of Dory, 

 situated near the entrance of Geelvink Bay ; and this seems to form 

 the proper eastern limit of the navigation of the East Indians. 



LUZON. 



Negrilloes inhabit the mountains in various parts of Luzon; and 

 even it was said, those at the entrance of the bay of Manila. So far 

 as I could learn, they are an inoffensive people. Nevertheless, some 

 asserted, that the Malay " buffalo-hunters do not scruple to shoot 

 them like wild game, when they chance to meet one in the woods." 



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