In the Admiralty, New Britain, and all the Archipelagoes from New Guinea east to Fiji, they form the basis of the population intermingled with the Maori race. These are Maori-Papuans. In the Indian Archipelago, from Timor Laut west wards to Flores inclusive, they are blended with Malayan elements. These are Malayo-Papuans. New Guinea, he says, has at least two, but pro bably three tribes, viz. Papuan, Negrito, and Maori, but the presence of Maori there needs confirmation.
The races and their varieties, present marked differences in their physical formation, even as to the mere heights, as will be seen by their measure ments in millimetres, as under :— Malay race, in stature, are inter,.
mediate between the Papuan and the Negrito. The Papuan are taller than the Malay, but the Negrito are about 4 feet 6 inches or 4 feet 8 inches, or 8 inches shorter than the Malays. The Negrito nose is small, flattened, or turned up at the apex, while the Papuan nose is large and prominent, with the apex prolonged downwards. The Negrito hair is the same as that of the Papuan and also of the African. The Negrito of the Philippines, the Semang and Bila of the Malay Peninsula, and the Mincopi of the Andamans, agree with each other. The Negrito are living in Lueon, Negros, Panay, Mindoro, and Mindanao to the number of 25,000, but are also in Palawan and Formosa. They are small in stature, but well made.
Of the Malay race, there are three broad ethnic divisions, viz. the Orang Malayu, the Orang Laut, and the Orang, Binua.
The Orang Malayu are civilised communities in Sumatra, Malacca, Borneo, etc., are all Muham madans, and speak High Malay, with a literature written in the Arabic character.
The Orang Laut, literally sea people, are known as the Baju Laut of Celebes ; and Mr. Keane sup poses them to be akin to the Lanun of Borneo and Illanos of Mindanao. They live in their boats on the water, engaged in fishing and addicted to piracy, or, as De Barros says, Cujo officio he rubar e pescar.' The Orang Binua, or men of the soil, known also as Orang-Utan or wild men, as Orang Gunong or hillmen, likewise as Orang Darat or landsmen, are wild, savage, and unlettered tribes of the interior of Malacca, parts of Sumatra, Rhio Lingga, and other islands in the Straits Malacca. They speak in rude but pure Malay dialects, are in numerous tribes, with names given from the rivers and the districts they Occupy.
The Malay language proper, wherever current in the Archipelago, is spoken with remarkable uniformity ; and that spoken even by the ruder uncivilised tribes in Malacca and Sumatra, known as the Low Malay, does not differ from the High or Literary Malay.
Malay proper is vernacular in Malacca, in a large part of Sumatra, in the islands of Billiton, Banca, Panjor, Penang, Singapore, Rhio-Lingga, Banda, in parts of the Moluccas and Timor, and generally round the coast of Borneo.
Orang Laut.—The custom of living on the water is common in various parts of Southern Asia ; it is in some countries occasioned by necessi ty. But the people who are called Rayats on Banca and in the neighbouring seas, adopt it by choice, and preserve it in situations which would afford a more comfortable mode of life. They are pro bably dispersed through all the countries where the Malay language is current. They always formed part of the subjects of the Malay princes during their prosperity at Malacca and afterwards at Johore. Those of them who have preserved their manners pure, dwell in small prahus, which carry their possessions and families. These are of the size and class of the vessels distinguished among the Malays by the name of prahu kakap, probably from their supposed resemblance to a fish of the same name in their form and motion ; they are equally. adapted to rowing and sailing. Their after part is the kitchen, and here a small stove is permanently fixed ; the central space serves for their usual occupations during the day, and for their rest at night ; several large mats, which are rolled up in the day time, form its principal furniture ; their fore parts contain a small chest, in which they preserve their articles of value. During the night, and in bad weather, the vessel is covered by a light mat (or kajang), -which, when not in use, is folded over the posterior part. The furniture of each prahu is very simple. One harpoon with a shifting point, and a spear-like implement for searching for crabs in the sand, seine empty cocoanut shells, with oar and paddles in proportion to the size of the vessels, are always found ; besides these, a drum and a comb of un common size ; most prahus carry a favourite cat. A number of long wooden lances, as their common weapon of defence, are always placed in con spicuous parts. These they wield with much dexterity. The larger prahus (especially those intended for warlike purposes) are provided with rantakkas, firelocks, spears, and Malay cutlasses.