the malay archipelago-2-第58部分

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regions　pan　be　marked　out　in　botany　as　in　zoology。　The　causes　which　tend　to　diffusion　are　here　most　powerful；　and　have　led　to　such　intermingling　of　the　floras　of　adjacent　regions　that　none　but　broad　and　general　divisions　can　now　be　detected。　These　remarks　have　an　important　bearing　on　the　problem　of　dividing　the　surface　of　the　earth　into　great　regions；　distinguished　by　the　radical　difference　of　their　natural　productions。　Such　difference　we　now　know　to　be　the　direct　result　of　long…continued　separation　by　more　or　less　impassable　barriers；　and　as　wide　oceans　and　great　contrast：　of　temperature　are　the　most　complete　barriers　to　the　dispersal　of　all　terrestrial　forms　of　life；　the　primary　divisions　of　the　earth　should　in　the　main　serve　for　all　terrestrial　organisms。　However　various　may　be　the　effects　of　climate；　however　unequal　the　means　of　distribution；　these　will　never　altogether　obliterate　the　radical　effects　of　long…continued　isolation；　and　it　is　my　firm　conviction；　that　when　the　botany　and　the　entomology　of　New　Guinea　and　the　surrounding　islands　become　as　well　known　as　are　their　mammals　and　birds；　these　departments　of　nature　will　also　plainly　indicate　the　radical　distinctions　of　the　Indo…Malayan　and　Austro…　Malayan　regions　of　the　great　Malay　Archipelago。


CHAPTER　XL。

THE　RACES　OF　MAN　IN　THE　MALAY　ARCHIPELAGO。

PROPOSE　to　conclude　this　account　of　my　Eastern　travels；　with　a　short　statement　of　my　views　as　to　the　races　of　man　which　inhabit　the　various　parts　of　the　Archipelago；　their　chief　physical　and　mental　characteristics；　their　affinities　with　each　other　and　with　surrounding　tribes；　their　migrations；　and　their　probable　origin。

Two　very　strongly　contrasted　races　inhabit　the　Archipelagothe　Malays；　occupying　almost　exclusively　the　larger　western　half　of　it；　and　the　Papuans；　whose　headquarters　are　New　Guinea　and　several　of　the　adjacent　islands。　Between　these　in　locality；　are　found　tribes　who　are　also　intermediate　in　their　chief　characteristics；　and　it　is　sometimes　a　nice　point　to　determine　whether　they　belong　to　one　or　the　other　race；　or　have　been　formed　by　a　mixture　of　the　two。

The　Malay　is　undoubtedly　the　most　important　of　these　two　races；　as　it　is　the　one　which　is　the　most　civilized；　which　has　come　most　into　contact　with　Europeans；　and　which　alone　has　any　place　in　history。　What　may　be　called　the　true　Malay　races；　as　distinguished　from　others　who　have　merely　a　Malay　element　in　their　language；　present　a　considerable　uniformity　of　physical　and　mental　characteristics；　while　there　are　very　great　differences　of　civilization　and　of　language。　They　consist　of　four　great；　and　a　few　minor　semi…civilized　tribes；　and　a　number　of　others　who　may　be　termed　savages。　The　Malays　proper　inhabit　the　Malay　peninsula；　and　almost　all　the　coast　regions　of　Borneo　and　Sumatra。　They　all　speak　the　Malay　language；　or　dialects　of　it；　they　write　in　the　Arabic　character；　and　are　Mahometans　in　religion。　The　Javanese　inhabit　Java；　part　of　Sumatra；　Madura；　Bali；　and　Bart　of　Lombock。　They　speak　the　Javanese　and　Kawi　languages；　which　they　write　in　a　native　character。　They　are　now　Mahometans　in　Java；　but　Brahmins　in　Bali　and　Lombock。　The　Bugis　are　the　inhabitants　of　the　greater　parts　of　Celebes；　and　there　seems　to　be　an　allied　people　in　Sumbawa。　They　speak　the　Bugis　and　Macassar　languages；　with　dialects；　and　have　two　different　native　characters　in　which　they　write　these。　They　are　all　Mahometans。　The　fourth　great　race　is　that　of　the　Tagalas　in　the　Philippine　Islands；　about　whom；　as　I　did　not　visit　those　Islands；　I　shall　say　little。　Many　of　them　are　now　Christians；　and　speak　Spanish　as　well　as　their　native　tongue；　the　Tagala。　The　Moluccan…Malays；　who　inhabit　chiefly　Ternate；　Tidore；　Batchian；　and　Amboyna；　may　be　held　to　form　a　fifth　division　of　semi…civilized　Malays。　They　are　all　Mahometans；　but　they　speak　a　variety　of　curious　languages；　which　seem　compounded　of　Bugis　and　Javanese；　with　the　languages　of　the　savage　tribes　of　the　Moluccas。

The　savage　Malays　are　the　Dyaks　of　Borneo；　the　Battaks　and　other　wild　tribes　of　Sumatra；　the　Jakuns　of　the　Malay　Peninsula；　the　aborigines　of　Northern　Celebes；　of　the　Sula　island；　and　of　part　of　Bouru。

The　colour　of　all　these　varied　tribes　is　a　light　reddish　brown；　with　more　or　less　of　an　olive　tinge；　not　varying　in　any　important　degree　over　an　extent　of　country　as　large　as　all　Southern　Europe。　The　hair　is　equally　constant；　being　invariably　black　and　straight；　and　of　a　rather　coarse　texture；　so　that　any　lighter　tint；　or　any　wave　or　curl　in　it；　is　an　almost　certain　proof　of　the　admixture　of　some　foreign　blood。　The　face　is　nearly　destitute　of　beard；　and　the　breast　and　limbs　are　free　from　hair。　The　stature　is　tolerably　equal；　and　is　always　considerably　below　that　of　the　average　European；　the　body　is　robust；　the　breast　well　developed；　the　feet　small；　thick；　and　short；　the　hands　small　and　rather　delicate。　The　face　is　a　little　broad；　and　inclined　to　be　flat；　the　forehead　is　rather　rounded；　the　brows　low；　the　eyes　black　and　very　slightly　oblique；　the　nose　is　rather　small；　not　prominent；　but　straight　and　well…shaped；　the　apex　a　little　rounded；　the　nostrils　broad　and　slightly　exposed；　the　cheek…bones　are　rather　prominent；　the　mouth　large；　the　lips　broad　and　well　cut；　but　not　protruding；　the　chin　round　and　well…formed。

In　this　description　there　seems　little　to　object　to　on　the　score　of　beauty；　and　yet　on　the　whole　the　Malays　are　certainly　not　handsome。　In　youth；　however；　they　are　often　very　good…looking；　and　many　of　the　boys　and　girls　up　to　twelve　or　fifteen　years　of　age　are　very　pleasing；　and　some　have　countenances　which　are　in　their　way　almost　perfect。　I　am　inclined　to　think　they　lose　much　of　their　good　looks　by　bad　habits　and　irregular　living。　At　a　very　early　age。　they　chew　betel　and　tobacco　almost　incessantly；　they　suffer　much　want　and　exposure　in　their　fishing　and　other　excursions；　their　lives　are　often　passed　in　alternate　starvation　and　feasting；　idleness　and　excessive　labour；and　this　naturally　produces　premature　old　age　and　harshness　of　features。

In　character　the　Malay　is　impassive。　He　exhibits　a　reserve；　diffidence；　and　even　bashfulness；　which　is　in　some　degree　attractive；　and　leads　the　observer　to　thinly　that　the　ferocious　and　bloodthirsty　character　imputed　to　the　race　must　be　grossly　exaggerated。　He　is　not　demonstrative。　His　feelings　of　surprise；　admiration；　or　fear；　are　never　openly　manifested；　and　are　probably　not　strongly　felt。　He　is　slow　and　deliberate　in　speech；　and　circuitous　in　introducing　the　subject　he　has　come　expressly　to　discuss。　These　are　the　main　features　of　his　moral　nature；　and　exhibit　themselves　in　every　action　of　his　life。

Children　and　women　are　timid；　and　scream　and　run　at　the　unexpected　sight　of　a　European。　In　the　company　of　men　they　are　silent；　and　are　generally　quiet　and　obedient。　When　alone　the　Malay　is　taciturn；　he　neither　talks　nor　sings　to　himself。　When　several　are　paddling　in　a　canoe；　they　occasionally　chant　a　monotonous　and　plaintive　song。　He　is　cautious　of　giving　offence　to　his　equals。　He　does　not　quarrel　easily　about　money　matters；　dislikes　asking　too　frequently　even　for　payment　of　his　just　debts；　and　will　often　give　them　up　altogether　rather　than　quarrel　with　his　debtor。　Practical　joking　is　utterly　repugnant　to　his　disposition；　for　he　is　particularly　sensitive　to　breaches　of　etiquette；　or　any　interference　with　the　personal　liberty　of　himself　or　another。　As　an　example；　I　may　mention　that　I　have　often　found　it　very　difficult　to　get　one　Malay　servant　to　waken　another。　He　will　call　as　loud　as　he　can；　but　will　hardly　touch；　much　less　shake　his　comrade。　I　have　frequently　had　to　waken　a　hard　sleeper　myself　when　on　a　land　or　sea　journey。

The　higher　classes　of　Malays　are　exceedingly　polite；　and　have　all　the　quiet　ease　and　dignity　of　the　best…bred　Europeans。　Yet　this　is　compatible　with　a　reckless　cruelty　and　contempt　of　human　life；　which　is　the　dark　side　of　their　character。　It　is　not　to　be　wondered　at；　therefore；　that　different　persons　give　totally　opposite　accounts　of　themone　praising　them　for　their　soberness；　civility；　and　good…nature；　another　abusing　them　for　their　deceit；　treachery；　and　cruelty。　The　old　traveller　Nicolo　Conti；　writing　in　1430；　says：　〃The　inhabitants　of　Java　and　Sumatra　exceed　every　other　people　in　cruelty。　They　regard　killing　a　man　as　a　mere　jest；　nor　is　any　punishment　allotted　for　such　a　deed。　If　any　one　purchase　a　new　sword；　and　wish　to　try　it；　he　will　thrust　it　into　the　breast　of　the　first　person　he　meets。　The　passers…by　examine　the　wound；　and　praise　the　skill　of　the　person　who　inflicted　it；　if　he　thrust　in　the　weapon　direct。〃　Yet　Drake　says　of　the　south　of　Java：　〃The　people　（as　are　their　kings）　are　a　very　loving；　true；　and　just…dealing　people；〃　and　Mr。　Crawfurd　says　that　the　Javanese；　whom　he　knew　thoroughly；　are　〃a　peaceable；　docile；　sober；　simple；　and　industrious　people。〃　Barbosa；　on　the　other　hand；　who　saw　them　at　Malacca　about　1660；　says：　〃They　are　a　people　of　great　ingenuity；　very　subtle　in　all　their　dealings；　very　malicious；　great　deceivers；　seldom　speaking　the　truth；　prepared　to　do　all　manner　of　wickedness；　and　ready　to　sacrifice　their　lives。〃

The　intellect　of　the　Malay　race　seems　rather　deficient。　They　are　incapable　of　anything　beyond　the　simplest　combinations　of　ideas；　and　have　little　taste　or　energy　for　the　acquirement　of　knowledge。　Their　civilization；　such　as　it　is；　does　not　seem　to　be　indigenous；　as　it　is　entirely　confined　to　those　nations　who　have　been　converted　to　the　Mahometan　or　Brahminical　religions。

I　will　now　give　an　equally　brief　sketch　of　the　other　great　race　of　the　Malay　Archipelago；　the　Papuan。

The　typical　Papuan　race　is　in　many　respects　the　very　opposite　of　the　Malay；　and　it　has　hitherto　been　very　imperfectly　described。　The　colour　of　the　body　is　a　deep　sooty…brown　or　black；　sometimes　approaching；　but　never　quite　equalling；　the　jet…black　of　some　negro　races。　It　varies　in　tint；　however；　more　than　that　of　the　Malay；　and　is　sometimes　a　dusky…brown。　The　hair　is　very　peculiar；　being　harsh；　dry；　and　frizzly；　growing　in　little　tufts　or　curls；　which　in　youth　are　very　short　and　compact；　but　afterwards　grow　out　to　a；　considerable　length；　forming　the　compact　frizzled　mop　which　is　the　Papuans'　pride　and　glory。　The　face　is　adorned　with　a　beard　of　the　same　fr