In the Assam valley on the NE., and in Cute.b, Gujemt, and Kattyawar on tho NAV., are many tribes disclaiming all national or race connec tion with each other, neither intermarrying nor partaking- of each other's meals, and following different avocations, each of them assimilatin,g in their phyaical appearance to the types of the races of which they are offshoots.
The inhabitants of the Archipelago form three great races, different in their physical aspect anti in their moral character,—the Malay, the Papuan, and Polynesian. Ethnologists hare not yet fully agreed AS to their origin, nor even as to the names by which they should be tittignated. The Poly nesian race extend front Marianna to Easter Island, and from Hawaii to New Zealand, with no greater variety in the language than is to be met with in European tongues derived from the same source. The .312ilay seem to hare spread from Sumatra into the 3ialay Peuinsula, and eastwards into the Archipelago, occupying much of the littoral of its inore westerly islands. The physical con formation of the Papuan, and particularly the snuareness of his head, distinguishes hint from the African Negro. The Papuans of New Guinea have, almost generally, the woolly hair, some times frizzled, and occasionally in pipe-like knots, thick lips, and squat noses ; while their colour ranges from the sallow hue of the Sandwich islander to the dark copper of the Bornese. The face is suggestive of the Mongol type, being square and angular ; and in many parts of the island of New Guinea, the obliquity of vision common to the Chinese is apparent. Coming in all probability from one of the small western islands in the route from the north-west or the Moluccas (originally peopled from the Philip pines), the Papuan race are found to spread over a large area, and extend round the Caroline Islands. Blaksland states that the geographical boundary of the Papuan is coincident with the north-west monsoon, which may be described as extending from the equator to 10° or 15° north latitude, and in longitude from Sumatra to the Fiji Islands, from which circumstance and their ignorance in navigation the inference is that they have travelled from the west into the Pacific only so far as the prevailing winds allowed.
Stint thinks it is difficult to determine from what race the Australian sprang, for there is not one of the great families into which the human race has been divided with which they may be properly classed.' Strzelecki, who mixed among the Austra lian tribes of the greatest diversity, says : In his physical appearance he does not exhibit any features by which his race could be classed or identified with any of the generally known divisions of mankind.' Perhaps the rnost practical account is that given by Wilkes, who, in his American Exploring Expedition, says : They differ from any other race of men in features, complex habits, and language ; their colour and features assimilate them to the African type, their long black silky hair has a resemblance to the Malay, their language approximates to the American Indians, while there is much in their physical traits, manners, and customs to which no analogy can be traced in any other people ; their most striking distinction is the hair.' The Chinese, the- Malay, and the Celebians have for ages visited the south eastern islands of the Indian Ocean, and had their stations on the Australian coast, trading with the inhabitants, and conveying from thence cargoes of trepang, shells, etc.
The Mongolian, whether Scythian, Turk, or Tartar, is without imagination or strong reason ing powers, but is intrepid in danger, steady in purpose, overcoming all opposition, despising his fellows, a great conqueror. Such has been his
character as long as history has recorded his name ; he appears to have been made to command and to oppress. We find him in the infancy of the human race, as well as at later periods, descend ing from his far-distant mountains, enierging from the great deserts in Central Asia, and overrunning the most wealthy, the most mighty, or the most civilised of nations. He exercises power as his peculiar privilege and right.
The Shemite, says Layard, whether Hebrew, Arab, or Syrian, has a brilliant imagination, ready conception, a repugnance to any restraint that may affect the liberty of his person or of his inte,llect. He conceives naturally beautiful forum, whether they be embodied in his- words or in his works ; hix poetry is distinguished by them, and they are shown even in the shape of his domestic utensils. This race possesses in the highest degree what we call imagination. The best character of the Bedouin, says Burton (Pilgrim age, p. 44), is a gentleness and generosity. The Shemite, says Layard, shows a ready eloquence ; his words are glowing and apposite ; his descrip tions true, yet brilliant ; his similes just, yet tnost fanciful. These high qualities seem to be innate in him. The three great monotheistic systems which have divided the civilised world, came foith from nations of Shemite origin, among whom arose the priests or prophets of all those nations who hold the unity of God. In the south and east of Asia are representatives of those three great religions, Jews, Christians, and Muhatnmadans, as also a race, the Parsee, following the fire-worship, which seems to have been a corruption of the doctrines taught by Zoroaster.
Buddhists in Ceylon, in the Trans-Gangetic countries, and in those north of the great Hima laya, are very numerous, and follow several philo sophies. Aryans of India, who pursue a worship of nature, of spirits, or demons, and have adopted physiological doctrines as revelations, worship ping deified mortals and heroes, and believing in many incarnations of Siva and of Vishnu, are spread all over India, and have imparted to its prior occupants a considerable acquaintance with their religious books. These prior peoples con stitute the bulk of the inhabitants of British India, and have merely added on to their own nature and spirit and devil worship some of the legends and philosophical views of the Aryan Hindu ; and amongst the professors of Hinduism are a multitude of sects worshipping Siva, or Vishnu, or Brahma, or all of these, or their incar nations, or the mere vikrama or idol of stone or wood or brass, with or without form. A body of religionists, the Sikh, considerable from their activity and their late political power, converts from the Jut or Gete races in the Panjab, have adopted doctrines partly obtained from the mono theistic Muhammadans, and partly from the Aryan Hindu ; but though their faith is only about 200 years in existence, they too have broken up into several sects. The great mass of the Indian people are of non-Aryan origin, and follow religious rites and customs the origin of which is quite unknown.—Tod'sRajasthau,n. 317 ; Captain Herbert at p. 939, Gleanings of Science; Heber's Journal, i. 195 ; Mrs. Hervey, a Lady in Tartary, ii. 5 ; Gentleman's .111agazine ; Layard, Nineveh, ii. 2:39 ; Burton's Mecca, iii. 44.