980 



MALAYSIA. 



been called by different writers J^egritos^ or little negroes, Australian negroes, Papuas, and 

 Melanesians, or Black Islanders. They are found in the interior of some of the Malaysian 

 islands, but they form almost the whole population of Melanesia. They have thick lips, flat 

 noses, a sooty-brown or dingy-black complexion, and woolly hair ; in their persons they are 

 small and slender, and present some of the most diminutive and wretched specimens of humani- 

 ty. They differ from the African negroes in some peculiarities of formation, such as a higher 

 forehead, a projecting occiput, and prominent lower lips, and their frame has nothing of that 

 muscular strength, that characterizes the African. They go naked, have no regular habitations, 

 or organized government, and practise cannibalism ; even their arms are of the simplest and 

 rudest construction. Some writers consider the inhabitants of New Caledonia, the Feejee 

 Islands, &c., as a distinct race, which has a dark, but not black complexion ; crisp, but not 

 woolly hair ; and of a larger size than the Negritos. 



The second great race of Oceanica, and which comprises by far the greatest number of indi- 

 viduals, is a yellow or brown complexioned race, with long, lank hair, thin beard, high cheek- 

 bones, large mouths, and short noses with wide nostrils. In person they are squat, but robust, 

 their stature being much less than that of Europeans, and even below that of the Hindoos, Chi- 

 nese, or Birmese. This race has been called the Malay race, and constitutes almost the whole 

 population of the great islands of Malaysia, and the thousand groups of Polynesia. Several 

 nations of this stock have reached as high a degree of civilization as some of the Asiatic nations 

 of secondary rank, such as the Siamese ; but others, especially in the small islands, are little 

 superior in their social and civil condition to the Negritos, leading a wandering life, and subsist- 

 ing on the spontaneous products of the forest, rivers, or seacoast. Among the former, or more 

 civilized nations, the Javanese, the Malays of Sumatra, the Bugis of Celebes, and the Luco- 

 nians in the Philippines, are particularly distinguished, but many other tribes of this region are 

 little inferior to them. Further details as to the manners, government, religion, &c., of these 

 nations, will occur more appropriately under the separate heads according to which they are 

 noticed. 



CHAPTER CLV. MALAYSIA, OR EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



1. Extent. Malaysia, or the Country of the Malays, more commonly called the East Indian 

 Archipelago, and by many geographers reckoned a part of Asia, comprises a great number of 

 islands, separated from Asia by the Straits of Malacca and the Chinese Sea, and extending 

 from 12° south, to 21° north latitude, and from 95° to 134° east longitude. The principal 

 islands and groups included within these limits are the f^unda Islands, comprising Sumatra, 

 Java, Banca, Bali, Sumbava, Timor, and other neighboring isles ; Borneo, Celebes, and the 

 Sooloo Islands ; the JHoluccas, and the Philippines. 



2. Climate, Productions, &c. Situated in the middle of the torrid zone, Malaysia enjoys 

 the advantages of a tropical climate, the intense heats of which are tempered by the vicinity oi 

 the sea. In those islands which lie north of the equator, the monsoons blow southwest and 

 northeast ; in those to the south, southeast and northwest ; the easterly winds bring the dry 

 season, which in northern latitudes is from October to May, and in southern, from May to Oc- 

 tober ; the westerly monsoons prevail during the wet season. Some parts of the Malaysia are 

 subject to violent hurricanes, and earthquakes are frequent and destructive in many of the islands. 



The rich soil, watered by copious showers and warmed by a vertical sun, yields in profusion 

 the most precious spices, useful nutritious plants, and valuable woods. Sandal wood, ebony, 

 teak, numerous species of palms, furnishing dates, cocoas, and sago, various dye-woods, pep- 

 per, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, camphor, gum benzoin, and many excellent fruits, are among 

 the vegetable productions. Some gold and silver, and tin, iro-n, copper, and' lead, are found. 

 Borneo is the only region beside India, Brazil, and Russia, which affords diamonds. The air, 

 the earth, and the waters swarm with animals ; the tiger, elephant, rhinoceros, and tapir inhabit 

 the same marshes and forests, as the orang outangs and the huge python. The babyroussa, kan- 

 garoo, &c., and among the birds, the cassowary, and the brilliant birds of paradise, are charac- 

 teristic of this region. 



3. Rivers. Seas. Straits. The insular character of this region precludes the existence of 

 large rivers, but considerable streams abound in the larger islands, which, as well as the rivulets 

 of the smaller, are perennial, being fed by rains, that fall throughout the year. The Straits of 



