New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-10-07
MANS EARLIEST HISTORY.

AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BEFORE THE INTERNA-
TIoNAL CONGRESS OF oRIENTALIsrs SEPT. 20
EVIDENCES OF ANTIQUITY COMPARED WITH THE
BIBLICAL CHRoNoLoGY-LoNG PERIODS OF THE
EARLY CIVILIZATIONS H
The address began with a review of the leading
authorities in recent chronological research, with
references to the contributions to this science to
which the speaker was most indebted. He then pro-
ceeded to say:
For myself. archseologis belong TO that other
speoes defined by my master in palaonology the In
mortal Cuvier, antiQude dame noursiie espece &c
and my habua researches relate to periods transcend
Ing those expressed by the terms OF historical esmates
Of past time. In that relation mainly stand the rev
studies have been able devote TO the proper SUBJECTS
Of the present section and perhaps the sole service
may the Congress TO exempify hinderances
to the progress Of geology which possibly may still tend
TO divert its the science Of Oriental
races and families OF mankind The Papuans of New
Guinea with cognate darkskinued crisp-haired prog
nathic peoples OF Australia, wHeordes, Newt
MA and neighboring islands, bespeak by afnites OF
their rude dialects, well by physical characters
low aud early mankind which in some respects
Indicate kinship with the Boschismeu OF South
Africa are yet sufficiently distinct 10 suggest long
OF existence In another and distant continent
Geological and geological evidences concur as In DC
erce exempllred wallace's Malay ARCHIPELAGO, 10
point 10 pre- historic of mankind, existing genera
gradual non-cataclysmal. geological change has been
broken I'D into insuar patches of land there such race
il .ti open TO chronological study Vending westward
to regain the proper field Of Congress, we have evil
dences of aseary-f say primitive 1t is because we
know none earlier-bped In the trans Gangetc PENN
sua and Indonesian Archipelago. These Ngritos, in
India have aed before invaders from the suoHmalayan
range represented Burmese and Siamese before in
vaders from the South the Maays, with their maritime
advance in Civilizations before later immigrations from
the North with the religion and literature respectively
Of the AryaD hiDdOos and the Arab Mussulmans Frag-
Of the dwarf Ngrito stratum may be picked up
scapy in Engomho. the largest island of sumatra.
In the Mergu Archipelago. In the Nlcobar Ises and IN
the Andamans. The Nigrit0s who have survived such
changes and have been caught TO speak. upon new
continent have preserved themselves in mountain fast
and forests have fed before later Immigrants,
have never assimilated Herewith, have always been
looked upon by them as prior in time, and now are
verging toward extinction.
GEOLOGICAL CHANGES AND LOW FORMS OF
10 specializing. therefore, the place OF origin OF
nncopics and htribes, would impress upon ethnol-
pgsts to set aside actual disposition of land
and being necessarily related thereto, aud to
with the beginning Of such low forms Of human
ity lapse of time harmony with the latest geological
changes earths surface. In such observations,
e.. as the estimable voyager Wallace uses when he
remarks the high probability that the "NigrtOs Of
Bengal have had an Asiatic rather than Polynesian
orign"op ct vol. H.. p 42i, facts supporting the
as umption of such degree of probability have to
my knowledge On such as have, infer that the birth
land of the Mincopcs neither Asiatic nor Poly
nesan as these terms understood in modern geog
raphy. A contributor to the Transactions OF the
Asatic Society OF Bengal" writes w." some be of
African origin or OF mixed African descent their
wcoy hair and other signs apparently afford
such a solution" Gir. Day, F. o. g., "Observa-
tha AnAar
question of the African origin have sounded in my
Report the Psychca and Physical Characters OF the
bneopics Reports Of the British Association, 1851 AS
the hypothesis that "the Mncopics and Australians
pure race, but hybrids between negroes
and Maayan yellow race Quatrefages, ''Une del
Espece Humane" 12mo 1861 1881 will only repeat
my remark the cardinal defect OF spectators the
origin OF the human species seems to to be the
sumption that the geographical condition OF the
earths surface preceded cOexsted with the origin OF
such species" reports of British Association, 1861,
p g. The Andamanese or Mncopics of whom exhibit
photographs suggest the same relation to geological
change of surface the Papuans. Their islands in
the Bay OF Bengal but much may be deduced from
their poor unsettled language shows relationship with
Mon Peguan dialects rather than with the continental
Burmese living on the coast nearest the Andamans.
the island homes of the Mincopic race
we're above water before the nearest continent
assumed its present size and shape. The fossils
of CRATES and appropriateness in newer ter
tiary deposits slopes high up the Himalayas sigD
cantly point to the lgeoogcay) recent elevation of
grand mountain chain, and herewith probably to
the movements resulting in the present confguration OF
tho southern Asiatic land. Notwithstanding their
proximity to the land and the Of Indian
traffic. the Mncopcs maintained themselves until the
needs Of the Mutiny led Of their islands be-
coming penal settlement apart from higher races OF
mankind These had till then failed, they still
fan with the Papuans Of NewGuinea, TO get footing
and hag Tho NJ O.
This arises the unmitigated. incorporating hos
ty by force aud fraud to any invaders accidental or
Intentional whom they had 1t in their power to extr
pate Such hostility, hatred and dread only be CON-
pared with that which the brute species in state OF
nature entertain toward An island Of Qadrumana
would conduct themselves. to the extent of their de-
structe and repeant faculties in like fashion toward
bped immigrants.
. REWRITING TO THE ABORIGINAL FIG-LEAF.
The Mincopics, like the Papuans to realize in.
snctvely their fate through contact with higher
by which, however benevolent the intention, such fate
would be to be improved like the Tasmamans off the
of their native land Our countrymen since the
occupancy of the islands have done their utmost
10 raise and civiiize the natives. Young female Min
copies have been taken in hand by kindly disposed
ladies' have been dressed and trained as English girls
Some OF the scholars tried to get back to the larger
island by swimming or those retained to the time Of
puberty then returned TO their tribe, all threw of
their European clothes ana reverted 10 the simple
pudenda leaf and they showed sense Of shame. OF
nakeduess they have perfect prelapsaran, speaking
theOogicaly speaking zoologicslly, quadrumanOus,
Inconsistencies. OF ideas Of another life there
are glimpses. The widow dreams of her dead
husband; to the widow in his slumber, returns
his departed WIFE the paDgs Of hunger and the thoughts
OF successful chase excite the vision, In which de-
ceased notable hunter fisher revs the dreamer and
m unusual haul Of fish capture of game is the result
This seems TO be the foundation of faith in future life
of successful chase and cessation of hunger pangs.
The widow carries about with her till remarked