BIMANA, OR MAN. 
51 
traverse the great desert. Thrice did their ancestors, under Attila, Genghis, and Tamerlane, spread 
far the terror of their name. The Chinese are the most anciently civilized branch, not only of this 
race, but of all known nations. A third branch, the Mantchures, have recently conquered and still 
govern China. The Japanese, Coreans, and nearly all the hordes which extend to the north-east of 
Siberia, subject to Russia, are also to he considered, in a great measure, as originating from this race ; 
and such also is deemed to be the fact with regard to the original inhabitants of various islands bordering 
on that archipelago. With the exception of some Chinese literati, the nations of the Mongolian race 
pertain generally to different sects of Buddism, or the religion of Fo. 
The origin of this great race appears to have been in the Altai mountains, as that of ours in the 
Caucasus ; but it is impossible to trace with the same certainty the filiation of its different branches. 
The history of these wandering nations is as fugitive as their establishments ; and that of the Chinese, 
confined exclusively to their own empire, furnishes little that is satisfactory with respect to their 
neighbours. The affinities of their languages are also too little known to direct us in this labyrinth. 
The languages of the north of the peninsula beyond the Ganges, as well as that of Thibet, bear some 
relation to the Chinese, at least in their monosyllabic structure ; and the people who speak them are 
not without resemblance to the other Mongoles : but the south of this peninsula is inhabited by 
Malays, whose forms approach them much nearer to the Indians, and whose race and language are 
distributed over the coasts of all the islands of the Indian archipelago. The innumerable small islands 
of the southern ocean are also peopled by a handsome race, who appear to hold a near relation to the 
Indians, and whose language has much affinity with the Malay : but in the interior of the larger islands, 
particularly in the milder portions of them, there exists another race of men with black complexions, 
and negro faces, all extremely barbarous, which are named Alfourous ; and on the coasts of New 
Guinea and the neighbouring islands, are other Negroes nearly similar to those of the eastern coast of 
Africa, which are termed Papous ; to the latter are generally referred the natives of Van Diemen’s 
Land [now rapidly approaching to extermination], and those of New Holland to the Alfourous.* 
Neither the Malays nor the Papous are easily referable to either of the three great races ; but 
can the former he clearly distinguished from their neighbours on both sides, the Caucasian Indians and 
the Mongolian Chinese ? We avow that we cannot discern in them sufficient traits for that purpose. 
Are the Papous Negroes, which may formerly have strayed into the Indian Ocean ? We possess neither 
figures nor descriptions precise enough to enable us to reply to this question. 
The inhabitants of the north of both continents, the Samoyedes, the Laplanders, and the Esquimaux, 
are derived, according to some, from the Mongolian race : but others regard them as mere degenerate 
offsets from the Scythian and Tartar branches of the Caucasian race. 
The Americans have not yet been referred clearly to either of the races of the eastern continent ; 
nevertheless, they have no precise or constant character, which can entitle them to be considered as 
a particular one. Their copper-colomred complexion is not sufficient : their general black hair and 
scanty beard would induce us to approximate them to the Mongoles, if their defined features, their nose 
as projecting as ours, their large and open eyes, did not oppose such a theory, and correspond with 
the features of the European. Their languages are as numberless as their tribes, and no demonstrative 
analogies have as yet been obtained, either with each other, or with those of the ancient world.f 
[With all deference, I would suggest that naturalists are much too prone to confound resemblance 
with identity; as if any reason existed of necessity, for analogous races to differ in the least 
degree. How many geographical mutual representatives are there, which the analogy of allied 
races forcibly indicates to be distinct, though undistinguishable on minute comparison ! How nearly 
also do many acknowledged species resemble ! Bearing these facts in mind, does it not appear tliat 
the Americans have as good a claim to be regarded as a primary race, as the Mongolians have to be 
separated as such from the Caucasians ? The arrangement of Blumenbach, who adds the Malayan 
and American races to the three admitted by Cuvier, has been more generally adopted : but there 
would seem to be quite as good reason for admitting others. Fischer, in his Synopsis Mammalium, 
indicates what he conceives to be seven species of Homo (reducing the number that had previously 
* Refer, for the different races which people the islands of the Indian t See, on the subject of the Americans, the travels of M. de Hum- 
and Pacific Oceans, to the dissertation of MM. Lesson and Garnot, in | boldt, so rich in important information, and the dissertations of Vater 
the Zoologie du Voyage de la Coquille, p. 1 — 113. For the Ianj);uay;es of 1 and of Mitchell, 
the Asiatic nations, and their affinities, consult the Asia Polyglotta of ' 
M. Klaproth. 
E 2 
