The Nevada journal., 1861-04-26
The Malays---Their Islands and Custom
FROM THE LECTURE OF CAPT. GIBSON.

as this State; few about as large; hall
dozen as large as New York; sixty the size
of New Jersey; two hundred the size of
Delaware or Rhode Island; thousand
from two to five miles in length; over two
thousand from a mile and a half IN extent
to the size of a good plantation, and so on
down to the little islets; and what is ex-
tremely remarkable is the distinct and sep
arate characteristics which distinguish
them Each is what the geologist calls a
water shed, that is, it has a mountain
chain with water flowing in different di-
Iectons; many are volcanic; there are, for
instance, twenty-one active volcanoes il
Java alone. The diversities among them
are very marked; there is in fact no place
in the world where in so small o distance,
there are such remarkable contrasts in veg
etables, birds, fishes, insects and human
races. The islands of Sumatra and Java
are only twelve miles apart, and seem in
deed to have once been connected, and
there are many little islets between
them, but their differences are most curl
Gus; birds common to Java cannot be found
in Sumatra, not a trace is discovered in
Java. Borneo, another great island is not
far, almost in sight indeed, and there are
islands between them, so that the smallest
vessels can go with safety from one to the
other; yet, here again there is complete
change from either of the others. The IT,
ger, elephants and serpents, common to
Sumatra, are no where to be seen on Bor-
neo. In Celebes the Horse is found domes-
ticated, the only place in that region of the
world. So of a thousand different islands
that might be enumerated; each has its
striking characteristics. In this respect
the Malay Archipelago differs entirely from
the Polynesian regions, where all the ISL
ands are nearly alike. Here nature seems
to delight in contrasts and experiments.
In Sumatra there are seven varieties or
species of man, from the light-c olored,
large inhabitant of the elevated portion, to
the dark and small savage of the southern
extremity. In Borneo there aro also dis
tinct races, and so through the whole group
of islands one may 60 pointing out differ
ences, till he comes to the true Indian ne
gro with his tufts of scarce wool and mop
like head. The vegetable productions are
almost without number, but not a tree or
plant which does not afford something OF
value to commerce; the tamarind, cinna-
mon, Glove. camphor, sandal wood, gut.a
percha, teak, and so on, and the cxubrance
of vegetation is unparalleled. Nowhere in
the world could be found such profusion
of parasitical plants. Among others, the
lecturer had counted forty-two varieties of
parasites on one tree, and they produced
the most exquisite flowers; here one like
the magnificent magnolia, there, one like
the tulip, and all mingled into brilliant bo-
| quets, fragrant with the most delightful
and delicious aroma. Any one who had
ever sailed through any of the straits in
that archipelago, could not forget the
'.spicy gales which are waited over the
waters, and penetrate the soul like the
strains Of the sweetest music. The lectur-
er proceeded to explain how pepper is the
| fruit of n vine, not of a tree, as is usually
supposed; how cloves are not a seed, but
the unexpended buds of a beautiful tree of
the myrtle family; and noticed the vain at
tempts to transplant and cultivate it in
other parts of the world than the Mouccas.
These being supposed to be tolerably fa-
millar to the reader, we pass on. He next
spoke of the salubrious climate, and show
ed that though the coasts of the large ISL
ands were sultry, the more elevated re-
gions were delightful, as demonstrated by
their fitness for the culture of productions
of the temperate zone. He had never seen
better Irish potatoes than those raised in
Java, or eaten sweeter bread than was made
of Java wheat. The cherry, apple and
grape were cultivated there in the greatest
perfection; and as the traveller assembled
still higher he would find the oak, the fir
and pine; and this was the case with Bor-
neo, Celebes and New Guinea.
The population of the group is estTmat-
ed at from thirty TO forty millions, embrace
ing all degrees in the social scale; but one
of the most remarkable characteristics is
the condition of the females. We find the
women here performing almost all the ac-
tive duties of life-being money traders,
doctors, teachers and sailors 1t is indeed
no uncommon thing to find them in COM
maud Of native vessels navigating the wat
ers of those remote seas, They are also
often found Occupying the thrones of gov
ernment. The true Malays were active, in
telligent, appreciative, and above all gall
liant people. They had nine distinct writ.
ten alphabe;s, and their writings were OF
the most interesting and splendid charac-
ter. He is confident that the stories of the
Arabian Nights Entertainments are of Ma
lay origin; and he has himself heard among
them tales of a similar kind, embracing
the richest and most superb fancies of nec-
romancies, genet and entertainments. In
the minerals there are abundant mines of
gold, diamonds, the best of iron, zinc, and
autimony, nine-tenths of which the world
uses comes from Borneo. The tin to be
found there is without limit, and as labor