New-York tribune., 1896-10-04
SOUTH SEA ISLANDERS.
MOST INTERESTING OF ALL UNCIviLIZED
PEOPLES.

THE HISTORY OF MANKIND; by Professor stss"%
ErsGrsh don Raa, H. TanIsS aar fFSm n WITH In
PRODUCTION by f B. Tyl1r d. d g. 1hnsfraiions III h s
ynms Win c9'red iay rIes u.s. MTRs Tne Macman sS CO.
Aside from the general view contained in the
long Introduction to this volume the whole of it is
devoted to the South Sea Islanders the Poyne-
SLAMS Melaveslans Mcrovesians, Malays and the
peoDle of Madagascar These races are all ailed
to each other in origin and language apparently.
and they are take them all together the most IN
teresting of all the unciviliZed peoples on the
globe. They have been subjected to varied IN
fuences. They still bear traces of contact WIN
those ancient sea rovers. the Phoehiciahs' 'ne
sphere OF direct Hindoo effort among them is well
marked in religious beliefs and otherwise whhe
Chinese Intercourse with them increases with the
years The fact that there are expert counter
feiters among the Maays is attributed by FRO
fessor RatZel to the example of the Chinese. me
comfortable days of this intercommunication all
date back Of the time when the treasure hunters
from Europe had not yet Infested every river
mouth and open roadstead on the Asiatic coast
40 a. to force the Orientals into a policy of Sc
ciusion Back of this Asiatic companionship
there was another which Professor Ratzel insists
upon namely. with the antique races and ciNiza-
ton Of America. America is TO him not the New
World but the most ancient. 1T is the true
Orient of the human race. In the customs or
those islanders. whom he calls Oceanians, ne
finds numerous parallels to the practices or the
red men as recorded by Morgan and others
Sometimes these are a vivid part OF the present
life sometimes they only reminiscence. nut
in either case they are evidence Of race move
ments.
Not that the islands were settled once FOR all
from America but ii is possible that the original
population may have been many times overlald
By conquest of island BY island or by rovers from
various directions. The loom OF the Maayah
Dyaks is almost identical with that of the
Northwestern Indians. and they preserve in the
srossc.. form the practices OF head-hunting and
skull-worship which are typified in the scalps
preserved by the American painted warrior
Malay fabrics are ornamented in a way when the
native American would recognize at once The
Coichauuis OF Northern Argentina paint their pol
tery with line drawings OF birds. reptiles and
human faces not unlike those known as Peru
vian and both these styles of American art In
the selectiOn and conventional treatment or the
themes remind experts of Malay work Parti'u-
10, forms ~ greeting the declaration Of an agree
mept by the transfer of stick. the method OF
communicating bv means of wooden drums. are
found widespread on the continent at one s'de
and the islands on the other side OF the Pacillc'
And lover all arises" says Professor Ratzel in
Mr.. Buffers translation, like great eu'''ce
common TO ALL the social order based on mother
right and exogamy. Into that recohoi'e Ne'u
let those who wish follow McLeLnan ana MOT
gan and 'ryior and Westermarck. There is room
enough outside of il for this article.