New Guinea, distinguish themselves by the terms Arfaki, or
mountaineers, and Papuas, or people of the sea-shore. - These
last live in scattered and insulated tribes, and in a continual
state of dissension and hostility. Their villages built upcJn
the water and upon piles, consist of a few huts under the*
authority of aged chiefs. The stature of the people is generally
of the middle height, but there are among them tall and
well-grown men. Their limbs are well proportioned, and
their figure is often robust and athletic. The colour' of1 thSir
skin is black, mixed with an eighth part of yellow, which
imparts to it a 'd ear tint of various intensity. Their hair is
black, very thick and moderately woolly. They wear it
frizzled out in a very remarkable manner, or let it fall upon
their necks in long and twisted masses. Their countenance
and features are regular except their noses, which are some*-
what flattened, with the nostrils enlarged in the transverse
direction. Their chins are small and welt1 formed; their
cheek=bones are prominent,their foreheads elevated,their Cye^
brows thick and long. Their beards are th in : they5 list them
grow upon the upper lip and chin, like many African nations!
The physiognomy of the Papuas easily reflects the feelings
which-animate them, and which arise from mistrust, sus-*
picioh, and all the most hateful passions, indicating ■ a remarkable
predominance of purely instinctive faculties over
those of intelligence.* The women are generally ugly, yet
we observed in New Guinea, some girls who Were well mdde,
and whose regular and soft features were remarkable. Forihed
for servitude and obedience, this sex among the Papuas and
many African Negroes, is subjected to the rudest labours^
which their rigorous and inflexible masters disdain to partake.”
* Lesson remarks that the more remote men are from a state of civilization, the
more their instinctive faculties are proportionally developed. The senses of the
Papuas are more perfect than those of Europeans. , They have a more piercing
sights and their hearing is more acute. M. Lesson adds, that the masseter and
temporal muscles are in this race of great strength, their only business being to
satisfy a voracious appetite, and this function absorbing all their faculties. Thus,
he says, <c we remarked on several skulls, numerous crests, roughening the whole
anterior part of the temporal fossae, and serving to give the fibres of the crotaphyte
muscles strong points of attachment.”
• “ The flatives of Bouka, with whom we communicated, displayed
all the characters. add all the habits, of the Papuas,
and- fyofe, like<thejn, their long and woolly hair frizzled out.
The n a t i v e s . P o r t Praslin^fl^C-jfeW? Ireland, and those of
the IsleuofiYork* in , t^e < channel-, of St, .George, differ not
from the latter; pply. there were among them a greater number
of tall and_ rpbpst .men; but many individuals were re- J
markable for the lights, shade-of their 2complpiiqn, approaching
the tawny and slightly bronzed hue of th e . -Oceanic
nations;. The persons of th^old men among these different
nation#, were generally.calno^placid and impassible.; ;yet we
rapid changes- %^ri||their countenances. The
treacherous and euunfhg-; leeks iof some -were as remarkable
as the spspicion^ and, mistrust^pjfessedaby'others, and .the
.simpfep^^anfffran^essnf 3- small number* I f we examine/
says M.. .Lessoify )“ th e physical conformation? qf the -natives
of the “"great- island of Madagascar, pi|>ppriyy#W/t0fee*k.
known under,the name of Mq,deeaS#eSj_we shall find,among
three, pr four human varieties whieffiphabit th a t great island,
black tribes .whose limbs are proportioned with regularity*.-
and-'.who#£} forms display-vigour and activity. lA^bfe^fMadpr
casses have, a handsome figure, and among them I observed
a great* number of men of fine stature. Their hair moderately
wpolly, is tied over the occiput in great^ringlets; their skin
4$ a dark brown mixed with yellow ; their noses are slightly
flattened, their months. large; in a word, the whole of their
countenances and regular features would represent the portrait
of a Papua of Dorery, jpf Beraae, or New Britain* New
Ireland, or of Bouka. The hair of all these people: is in
general very crisp,- stiff, and at the same time very thick.
Some families o f New Guinea, Waigiou, and of Bouka, give
it the frizzled out and singular form, which is the characteristic
of the Papuas. But other tribes, as those of Bony, in
New Guinea, of New Britain, and New. Ireland, let it fall
upon their shoulders in long and floating ringlets. The
Papuas go quite naked, and cover their shoulders and breasts
with incisions, ranged in curved or straight lines. This custom,
which distinguishes many tribes of the interior of Africa,
is practised by all the natives of Madagascar, as well as b y ,