Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IX.djvu/264

 252 INDO-CHINA INDO>CHINESE RACES, &c. Winkler in the black blende (christopliite) of Saxony, by Hoppe-Seyler in the wolfram of Zinnwald, by Kochler in the blende of Schon- feld, and by Cornwall in the blende of Maine. Indium is more easily prepared from crude me- tallic zinc than from any of the original ores. The metallic sponge remaining after treatment of the impure zinc with dilute sulphuric acid, or obtained as a residue in the cells of gal- vanic batteries, is acted upon by strong nitric acid, the excess of which is evaporated and the oxide of tin and sulphate of lead filtered off; the nitrate is treated with ammonia, which precipitates the oxide of indium, and after drying this oxide can be reduced to the metallic state by cyanide of potassium or by hydrogen gas. Indium is a brilliant, silver- white metal, destitute of crystalline structure, very soft and delicate, and easily scratched by the finger nail. It is permanent in the air, and retains its metallic lustre even in moist air and carbonic acid. The specific gravity depends upon the method of its preparation, and varies from 7-11 to 7'42. The melting point is 176 0. Although more easily fused, it is less easily volatilized than zinc or cadmium. At a bright red heat the metal burns with a vio- let flame and brown smoke. It is slowly dis- solved by dilute sulphuric and hydrochloric acid, with evolution of hydrogen ; quickly by strong hydrochloric acid. The atomic weight is given by Schrotter as 75'61, by Bunsen as 1 13'4. Indium monoxide has the formula InO ; its sulphide is yellow, and closely resembles sulphide of cadmium. The chloride is produced by passing chlorine gas over the oxide mixed with coal, or over the metal; it can be easi- ly sublimed to beautiful, brilliant, crystalline scales, and is highly deliquescent. Numerous salts of indium have been prepared, but none of them possess any particular value in medi- cine or the arts. IMHH'IILVA, or the Indo-Chinese Peninsula, the name given to the southeastern portion of Asia, bounded N. by Thibet and China, E. by the gulf of Tonquin and the China sea, S. and S. W. by the China sea, the gulf of Siam, the strait of Malacca, the gulf of Martaban, and the bay of Bengal, and N. "W. by Hindostan ; area, about 850,000 sq. m. ; pop. about 25,000,- 000. It is also designated as Further India, and as India beyond the Ganges. Andaman, Mergui, Nicobar, Prince of Wales, and other adjacent islands and groups belong to it. The political divisions of this region are: British Burmah, or Aracan, Pegu, and Tenasserim, comprising the W. coast and frontier land; Siam, in the centre, extending to the gulf of Siam, and including the Malay peninsula; Cambodia, and French or Lower Cochin Chi- na, on the S. extremity ; Anam, including Ton- quin and Cochin China, on the east; and Bur- mah in the northwest, surrounded by British Burmah, Siam, Anam, China, and Thibet. The Laos race, numbering about 1,500,000, occupy a large portion of the interior of Indo-China between Siam and Anam, in the dominions of China, Siam, Anam, and Burmah. (See the separate articles on the political divisions.) INDO-CHINESE RACES AND LANGUAGES. The nations belonging to this division of the Mon- golian race inhabit southeastern Asia, and speak monosyllabic languages. They may be subdi- vided into seven groups : the Thibetan and Him- alayan or Bhotiya races ; the Burmese and Lo- hita races; the aboriginal races of the Indo- Chinese peninsula; the Thai races; the Ana- mites; the aborigines of China; and the Chi- nese. Several ethnologists and linguists prefer various other classifications; but, as has been observed by Prof. Whitney and other author- ities, one cannot well resist the conviction that these races, which speak the only languages known of a monosyllabic type, and which are clustered together in one corner of a single continent, all belong to the same family of mankind, and that the dialectic differences, however great, are the result of discordant historic growth. The Thibetans inhabit Thi- bet proper, or the elevated region north of the Himalaya mountains. Several races in those mountains, between the Indus and the Brah- mapootra, also speak a language related to the Thibetan tongue. They have all remained in a low stage of civilization, retain the supersti- tions of the ancient north Asiatic races and the custom of polyandry, and have kept aloof from Buddhism. As that religion was carried into Thibet about the 7th century of our era, it is supposed that these tribes separated from the kindred races in Thibet in the 6th century or earlier. The races belonging to this division are the Mishnu, Bors, Dophla, and Aka, be- tween the Brahmapootra and the Chumulari mountains; the Lepchas and Bhotans, in the central region of the watershed of the Teesta ; the Kiranti and Limbu, in the region of the Goosey ; the Newar and Murmi, between the Goosey and Gunduck; the Sunvar, Gurung, and Magar, in the territory of the river Gun- duck; the Rongbo and Gurwhal, in the terri- tory of the Surju river ; and north of them the Kohli, Kakka, Bamba, Gakar, Khatir, Avan, and Ganjuh. The lower region is inhabited by the Mecha, Kichak, Tharu, Denwar, Bok- sar, Hayu, Chepang, Kusunda, Durro, and Bramho tribes. The Burmese inhabit the W. portion of the Indo-Chinese peninsula, where they conquered the aborigines and formed a mighty empire. They are closely related to the inhabitants of Aracan on the coast of the bay of Bengal. With these two races are connected a number of wild tribes, generally designated collectively as Lohita, which is another name for the Brahmapootra; their relation to the Burmese is similar to that of the Bhotiya or Himalaya races to the Thibe- tans. Each of these numerous tribes speaks a peculiar dialect. The most important of them are the Bodos, Borros, or Kacharis, who were formerly called Rangtsa, and who, ac- cording to their tradition, emigrated into their