. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. 100 THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. THE PAPUASIANS. ( MELANASIAN DIVISION.) These are shorter than the true Pa- puan, the nose more depressed, and the hair less frizzy. These people have been described as the earliest race to popu- late the islands of the South Pacific. Their range includes the south-east of New Guinea, and the islands eastward as far as Fiji, where the mingling with the Polynesians, already mentioned, has taken place. This intermixture is slight- ly less apparent in New Caledonia. The following groups are considered to be mor
. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. 100 THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. THE PAPUASIANS. ( MELANASIAN DIVISION.) These are shorter than the true Pa- puan, the nose more depressed, and the hair less frizzy. These people have been described as the earliest race to popu- late the islands of the South Pacific. Their range includes the south-east of New Guinea, and the islands eastward as far as Fiji, where the mingling with the Polynesians, already mentioned, has taken place. This intermixture is slight- ly less apparent in New Caledonia. The following groups are considered to be more or less pure Melanesian:—Ad- miralty, New Britain, New Ireland, Solo- mon, and New Hebridean Groups. As a race the Melanesians are closely allied to the negroes, but differ con- siderably from the aborigines of Aus- tralia. As the name implies they are normally dark-complexioned, although not all of uniform tint. The Admiralty folk for many years bore the unen- viable reputation of being a treacherous and canniljalistic race. Their weapons consist of spears and daggers, bear- ing points or blades of ob- sidian, a volcanic glass oc- curring in the group. These weapons are also made with the barb or armature of the stingray. Thfe Admiralty is- landers are adept at con- structing large bowls cut from solid logs and pro- vided with elaborate fret- work handles. The crocodile is frequently re]iresented in their carvings, and shell- bladed adzes are peculiar to the Admiralty Group. Huge cylindrical drums are also to be found in the villages. The New Britain people make enormous fish traps and use shell-money. Their weapons are varied; the most striking, in more senses than one, is the heavy stone- beaded club. New Britain seems to hr the hmiic nl' seci'et societies par excellence in the Pacific. The New Irelanders are very adept at woodcarving. On view in the Museum one may see an extensive series of what were once solid logs intricately carved with all manner of devices mostly o
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