Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/64

 56 MALAYO-POLYNESIAN RACES AND LANGUAGES fore, are considered to represent the primitive forms of speech. To the western or Malayan liiMon of the Malayo-Polynesian races be- long the Tagalas or Bisayas (inhabitants of the Philippines), the Malays of Malacca, the Achee- nese of Sumatra, the Sundanese, the Javanese, the inhabitants of Bali and Madura, the Ba- taks of tlic interior of Sumatra, the population of Nias and Batoo islands, the Hovas of Mada- gascar, the Dyaks of Borneo, the Mankasars (Macassars) and the Bughis of Celebes, and the Alfooras of the Moluccas and the adjacent isl- ands. To the eastern or Polynesian division belong the Polynesians proper, the Melane- sians, and Micronesians. The Polynesian race embraces the inhabitants of the Samoa group or Navigator's islands, the population of the Tonga group or Friendly islands, the Maoris of New Zealand, the Tahitians, the inhabitants of the Rarotonga group or Cook's islands, the people of the Tubuai group or Austral islands, of the Low archipelago or Touamotou islands, of the Marquesas islands, of the Hawaiian or Sandwich islands, and of numerous isolated islands in the Pacific ocean. The most east- ern island inhabited by Polynesians is Vaihu or Easter island, and the most western Tikopia or Tukopia. To Micronesia belong the islands E.- of the Philippines to Ion. 180, and from the Marianas or Ladrones in the north to the equator in the south. The population of the Marianas or Ladrones is in part extinct, and many groups of the Carolines are also unin- habited. The people of the Gilbert archipela- go form the transition from the Micronesians to the Polynesians. The Melanesians embrace the inhabitants of the Feejee islands, of New Caledonia, of the New Hebrides, and of sev- eral of the islands extending thence to Papua, whose ethnological character has not yet been definitely established. The physical constitu- tion of the Malayo-Polynesians (excepting the Melanesians, who present a strong Papuan type) presents three fundamental forms, gen- erally designated as the Malayan, Batak, and Polynesian. The pure Malayan type is com- monly found among the Malays proper, Rejangs, Acheenese, Javanese, Madurese, and Tagalas. They are generally 4J or 5 ft. high ; the skull is equally long and broad ; the back of the head is short and square ; the cheek bones protrude ; the jaw bone is broad and prominent ; the nose Hat; the nostrils broad and large; the eyelids not as large as those of the Mediterranean races nor as narrow as those of the Mongolians; the eyes are black, but not brilliant; the mouth with thick lips, but not puffed up ; the I copper-brown with a tint of yellow H scarcely any beard, and the hair is itraight, coarse, and black with a touch of brown ; the loins and calves are thin and weak. The women are shorter than the men: their breasts are small, pointed, and firm, and their bosoms little developed and often quite flat. The Batak type is represented by the Bataks, .abitunts of Nias, Batoo, and Bali the Bughis, and the Mankasars and Alfooras. The body is taller, larger, and more muscular, the skull and face more oval, and the back of the head rounder ; the cheek bones are less prom- inent and the jaw not quite so broad ; the nose is rather pointed and straight, and depressed at the root ; the mouth is smaller and better proportioned ; the skin is light brown, and the cheeks show a tinge of red ; the hair is straight but thinner, and with a clearer shade of brown ; the breasts of the women are larger and hemi- spherical, and the bosom is fuller and higher. The Polynesians are of a still higher stature, and their bodies are generally well propor- tioned and athletic ; the women, however, are rather short and stout, with breasts like those of the Malays; the skin is several shades darker, especially in the furthest north and south, while the population of the equatorial islands is the lightest of all; the eyes are small, black, and not very vivid ; the hair is straight, coarse, black with a tinge of blue, and a little inclined to curl, the use of coral chalk giving it sometimes a reddish or flaxen color ; the growth of beard is little developed. The principal trait of the character of the Malayo- Polynesians is undoubtedly taciturnity and re- serve, which is softened only in case of ad- mixture with Papuan blood ; they dislike to be approached very closely, and they lay great stress on keeping within the bounds of deport- ment which custom prescribes for the various classes of society ; there is therefore an abun- dance of ceremonial laws among the peoples of the west, and of tabu laws among those of the east. They are possessed also of an almost incredible degree of savagery and bloodthirsti- ness. They are the cannibals par eminence, not through want of food but through the pe- culiar hardness of their character. Cannibal- ism is practised not only among the inhabitants of the South sea islands, but even among sev- eral of the half civilized races of the west, such as the Bataks of Sumatra, who have pro- duced a written literature, and who have can- nibal fites in certain cases even prescribed by law. They are generally good and fearless seamen, and readily undertake long journeys in boats apparently very unsafe. They possess good powers of observation, and are inclined to adopt the ideas of foreigners, and also to imi- tate their customs. The sentiments of family ties and obligations are but little developed. Infanticide is of frequent occurrence ; old, fee- ble, and sick persons are badly treated and some- times killed ; prostitution is prevalent, and pa- rents exercise but little authority. Love of gain, however, is the strongest passion among them, and lying, stealing, murder, and all man- ner of crimes are unscrupulously employed whenever they offer a chance of profit. The hope of plunder is their principal cause of war, and piracy is in the Indian archipelago considered to be an honorable and chivalric occupation. They are brave, but do not hesi- tate to poison their weapons and to play cow-