to the Malays; in ■ their * language they approximate more
nearly to bur Americanlndians, while there is much in their
physical traits,'-•manners, and customs; to which no analogy
can be traced in any other peopleri't
; “ The natives are of' middle height; perhaps a little above
it; they are slender in make, with long arms and legs* From
their wandering lifey irregular habits, and bad food, they are
extremely meagre; and as their thinness* els accompanied by
considerable protuberance of* the abdomen, it gives‘ to their
figure a distorted and singular appearance.’ The cast of the
face is between the African and Malay:.*: the forehead usually
narrow and high* tho eyes small; « black, and deepssy: the
nose much depressed at the upper-part between: theseyss/ add
widened at the base, which is done in infancy by the 'mother,
the natural shape being of an aquiline form ;. vtbe ©heek-bones
are high, the mouth large, and furbished with, strongwelbset
teeth ; the chin frequently retreats;^ the neck isi thin and
short. Their colour "Usually approaches choeolater : a: deep
umber, of reddish black, varying much in shade; and individuals
of pure blood are sometimes as light-eolaured as Mu-
Jattoes. Their most striking distinction isntheiribalr, which
is like that of the dark-haired Europeans,i although rmore
silky. It is fine, disposed to curl, and gives11 them a totally
different appearance from the African - and also from the
Malay and American Indian. Most of them have thick
beards and whiskers, and they are more hairy than the
Whites.’^
- They have, as we are assured by the American commander,
some id eh of a future state, “ although some- assert * that
the whole man dies, and that nothing is left of him; while
others are of opinion that his Spirit yet lives, either as a
wandering ghost or in a state? Of metamorphosis, animating a
bird or other creature of a lower order than man.
(< Their opinions on religious subjects5 generally partake of
the same unsettled character, which makes it very difficult to
obtain any clear idea of them. The great difficulty is the
unwillingness of the natives to talk upon the subject, either
from superstition or shame; and it is the opinion of the missionaries
that no full account of their religious notions will
be ohtainedAintil|©n@^0ifi the welbinformed adults is converted
to Christianity, an event which*is not?soon to be expected.
The missionaries- have-5had. little or nofjsuccess : none of the
adults have hitherto shownkó®y! deëire to embrace Christianity
; 1 and it is remarked thati. there?*.appears * to be a want
of susceptibility in their * i Aateetefcdo 1 eliginuë impressions.
Some* fief their ceremonies which partook* o f th a t character
have beenfidisoonti naed ;©f lately ears,« - and- no>, others have
feeën adopted in thoir placevk tThey have; ; however, some iin-
distimetv notions ofinf Deifcyq i Tfeemissionariestat -Wellington
• have heard: fcom s them; óf I a being; whom they call Baha-mai,
and whom, > withs ihisdsom B urambin;/'th#y:rdeem, the? creator of
all things*hi ;To.' this: Baira^-mai, theyopjay-a-kind of animal
worship by dancingband singing a song m.feflSfhonouri This
as@ng|"j!thëy'-,sëy, iwaë 'hteughblffteniyfa* distenfe léountry by
^st-rangersi who went afeteut ;te&M^®4t»: ’ This« annual worship
fteofafferf; in the-naobth: of r Febraa-ry,nand all who did not
join in itweresupposedetepM1^ thedispleasureiofthe goth/
di Baba-itaaii waë snppos^dodiye,dns.*nb <rislainA feèyeodotllë
gpëafeséaro&the 'Coasfe,andf:t0. eat fish,b which, * when- he* required
oame upiafchisfcalL ftoB^thewaten vj Buramfeib,
others* say, |was - brought J into* - existence by Bai-a-mai, when
the missionaries first; cameHte Wellington*.
vj,.;-«: Bararwirgali-is «a btether of Baba-mai, and i liyes in tbe
far west;- To him they? .ascribe ;thè origin of the; smalhppx,
which hasi made* such ravages amongthem., [They say fee
was vexed for want of a tomahawk, and therefore'sent that
disease*among them, but the-y- now supposejdhat- he has obtained
one, and that the- diseasetwill• comqnp more,t,;
Balumbals are angels, said;
a mountain" to, the north-west at a great-- distance* . -.Their
food is honey*; and. .their-,,employmenti likejjihat of the missionaries.
b j
* < ‘bWandong .is whom .they, havevleaimed
from the Whites to - call the ‘ Devil.’ They descrihe him as
a gigantic black.man, always-prpw^g;aboqfesat night, .ready
to seize and devour any unfortunate wanderer^ Sorf great is
their,horror of this imaginary-being, .that they)J3eypr: venture
from their fires at night, except under the pressure of great