New-York tribune., 1869-05-25

hHH I.eS. syo. pp C5s. Harper & Brothers.
NJ wallace IS an indefatigable English gentleman
I,t about eight years among the islands of the
Malay Archipelago tTaversing portion of the same
route which has since been travelled and described Dy
our own countryman, Professor Bickmore, and occu-
mod like the latter gentleman in the study of naturaI
bietory While Professor BickmOTe, however, devoted
himself principally to the collection OF Shells MI
Wo1ace's tastes ran toward birds, reptiles IN
sects and certain species Of mammalia' ana OF
These various classes of the animal kingdom he
secnred nearly 10000 specimens, many OF them
unl,nown entirely to previous naturalists, while
many Others had never before been accu-
rately described. Having a creditable knowledge
of geology and cognate sciences faculty OF
close observation. and the gift of direct and
sensible if not highly polished, style, Mr.. Wallace
has produced one of the best books of travel that we
have read in long while. 1t is interesting to the
general reader and will probably take rank as
scientific authority. The region to which his nara
tive relates with its wonderful vegetation. its birds
of strange forms and gorgeous plumage, its varieties
of the human race its curious modes of lfe and its
remarkable colonies of Europeans, offers strong at
fractions to the adventurous traveller for it has been
comparatively little visited, and abounds with op-
portunities for profitable research Mr.. Wallace
started from Singapore at the extremity of the Malay
Peninsula visited Sumatra, Java, Bomeo, Ceebes
the Moluccas and nearly all the principal interven-
ing islands and pushed his explorations far as the
soast of New-Guinea. Now and then he OBJ
tained passage in the mail steamers which ply be-
tween the Dutch trading ports, but generally his
voyages were made in the native praus, some
times as a passenger and sometimes as cap
tain and sole owner. The latter mode of travel
certainly had its advantages, but not without
sompensating difficulties and perils. The boats are
tIail and in strong currents (which abound in these
Watersl or in adverse winds, are almost unmanage-
able Mr.. Wallaces first crew ran away. Two OF his
second were lost for a month on desert island,
where on account of strong winds and currents, he
could not reach them. In the course of Is days
voyage he was ten times aground on coral reefs,
lost four anchors and boat, had his sail deyOured
by rats could get OIL for a compass lamp, was
many times short of food and water spent So days
Oh a trip which ought to have occupied -, and had
not a single day of fair wind. Lend jour
news of course were performed afOot and all the
Travellers luggage and numerous boxes of specimens
bad to he conveyed by hand His practice was, when
he found good collecting ground to remain several
weeks at one of the villages the edge of the for
est hiring house to live and store his goods in If
he had difficulty in finding house. he applied to the
local chief who would unceremoniously dispossess
some family to make room for him. He was never
molested and seldom robbed, and the only pages of
aggeration are those in which he paints the peace and
order of savage life and contrasts Malay and Papuan
virtue with the excesses Of civilized communities 1t
must be admitted however, that the authors descrp
ton of the state of society at DObbO, trading town
In the Aru Islands is enough to make cultivated
communities ashamed of themselves In that re-
mote place Mr.. Wallace found about five hundred
adventures of various races-Chnese Bugis. Cera-
mese, half-caste Javanese and half-wild Papuans-
N,f4 oFf fbox
ignorant, bloodthirsty and thevish-living without
the shadow of a government, without police courts
orlawyeTsy yet there neither robbery violence
and the days and nights rolled on with quiet which
New-YOrk might envy. There are two very strongly
conraste1 traces in the Archipelago the Malays who
occupy almost exclusively the western half and the
Papuans whose headquarters are in New Guinea and
the adjacent islands. The Malays have been more in
contact with Europeans than the other race and are
consequently the more civilized They arc of light
reddish-brown skin with more or less Of an olive
tinge, with coarse straight black hair, Boards
rather broad and fiat faces, prominent cheek bones
impsssive reserved polite yet cruel reckless and in
different TO human life They rather deficient in
intellect. The children and women tmid, and
often screamed and ran at the unexpected sight of
European. The Papuans are of deep sOOty brown
or black color not quite dark of the negro
races, with harsh sdry, and frzzy hair, growing in
tufts like mop, with beard Of the character,
long thin legs prominent brow and nose, and more
of the European aspect than the Malays They are
impulsve and demonstratve. and Mr.. Wallace is in
cned TO rate them as superior TO the Malays in in
teligence although they have made little advance
toward civilization. They very deficient however
in the affections and moral sentiments and violent
and cruel TO their children. The most interesting
probably of the Malay peoples whom Blr. Wallace |
visited are the Dyaks of BOTHeO. He has pleasant
description of halt he made for night at one Of
their villages in the interior. They lodged him in
building called the head-house" intended for the
accommodation of strangers, for council chamber,
for place of trade, and for other purposes Of public
importance and in the evening crowds Of the young
men and boys came to look at him. They were most
ly fine fellows dressed simply in cbatat0 or
Hast-coth, which hangs down before and behind.
1t s generally of blue cotton, ending in three broad
bands of red blue and white. Rich men also wear
a head kerchef with q border Of gold lace. Large
brass earrings heavy necklaces of black or white
beads armets Of white she'll of brass rings on
She arms and legs little pouch containing materials
for betel-chewng and a long slender knife complete
the fashionable attire Of Dyak young gentleman.
The wear brass rings in still greater pTofus-
ion, some having their legs covered with them from
tie ankle to the knee. Around the waist they wear
dozen coils Of fine rattan dyeG red, to which
the petticoat is attached. Below this are coils of
brass wire gIdie of small silver coins and some
tmes broad belt Of brass ring armor. Their head
dress is a conical crowness hat formed of yarious
cooIed beads aud kept In shape by rings of rattan
The Orang Kaya, Chief man of the village, called
npon The traveller in full dress consisting of span
gled velvet jacket without any trOwsers Mr. Wallace
asked 70 sec some Of the native dances. but found
them very dull and ungraceful affairs the men dress
ing absuEdly like women, and the girls making