The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1899-12-30
NEGRIros ALMOST EXTINCT.
Phiiippise Aborisines Have for
Many Years Been Victims of the
sturdier Races.

The Negritos are the aborigines Of
the Philippines. Before the coming OF
the Malays they probably occupied all
this island group and many of the nu-
merous islands which lie in the Pacific
to the southwark. Some OF them are
found to-day in the peninsula Of Malac-
ca and the Andaman Islands. In Java
they have recently died out. It's likely
that some Of them still exist In the for
ests of Borneo and in the interior OF
other large islands. Half-breed Ne
gritos are found from India to New
Guinea. Here the Negritos have ANAL
gamated with the savage tribes Of Hin
dustan; there, with the negrolike pap
uans Of Malaysia. But everywhere the
pure race is dying out. War, bitter and
unrelenting, seems to have existed for
centuries between them and the invad-
ing Malays. The latter have proved
the stronger; the Negritos have per-
ished or been driven TO the depths OF
the forests and the Businesses Of the
mountains, and most OF the land which
once knew them knows them no more.
A policy of determination has prevailed
and few Of this once numerous race
survive.
What can be said of them as individ-
ualsP They have two claims to notice.
They are q race of dwarfs, the smallest
people on the face of the earth. ] in
tend this statement TO include the pig
mics OF Africa. And mentally they are
the lowest, or one OF the lowest, OF the
human races, stupid in mind, degraded
in condition, forest wanderers scarcely
more settled than the apes; "man-apes'
they are called in parts Of India.
But, II deficient mentally, the Negri-
tos are largely endowed physically.
They can run like deer and climb like
monkeys. In fact, they approximate to
the monkeys in one respect since they
have great powers Of movement and OF
grasping In the big toe, being able 10
pick up minute objects with their feet
When on board ship they are as nimble
as monkeys and can descend the rig
ging head foremost, holding on by the
toes alone. Some Negritos are EN-
ployed as servants by the Fihpinos
Most Of them, however, dwell In theii
forest retreats, where they live mainly
by hunting, though they also eat thu
wild fruits Of the forest, the roots o.
the arum, the honey OF the wild beei
and other woodland products. Theil
weapons are simple, but effective. They
consist OF a bamboo lance, bow o
palmwood and a quiyer Of poisoned ar
rows. II is an interesting fact that th'
art Of poisoning arrows is common Il
the plgmy races wherever found. Tn
African dwarfs use arrows, punctur
from which is fatal. The Negritos hsv
another way Of getting food, not agree
able to the natives OF the open country
: They will swoop down upon the valley
steal covertly around herd OF brows
ing cattle and drive them of to thei
stronghelds In the hills.
The Negritos-or Aetas, as the Span
. ish call them-liye In the simplest an
most primitive fashion. They wande
T, TO and fro, about so families in grouE
obtaining shelter from few slopin
, poles covered with leaves. Sometime
! they build rude huts raised on bambo
e poles, in the Malay fashion. They hay
a pretense OF farming, scratching III
e ground with a stick and throwing In
, handful of seed, but they seldom re
!, main in one place long enough to gaths
!. their slender crnn,-Forum, -