. The history of mankind . ntrecasteaux Islands—one-eighth real size. (Christy Collection.) bored Englishman ; but it also reminds us of the tortoise-shell style of theTorres Islands, where it is made necessary by the material. In the case of theAdmiralty Islanders, holding as they do an intermediate position among therest of the Melanesians, it is interesting to note that their peculiarities arcnegative. Except the spear they have no weapons ; lacking bow and arrow,throwing-stick, sling, and axe. Bow and arrow are wanting also among otherMelanesians, and the Australians ; but the latter have
. The history of mankind . ntrecasteaux Islands—one-eighth real size. (Christy Collection.) bored Englishman ; but it also reminds us of the tortoise-shell style of theTorres Islands, where it is made necessary by the material. In the case of theAdmiralty Islanders, holding as they do an intermediate position among therest of the Melanesians, it is interesting to note that their peculiarities arcnegative. Except the spear they have no weapons ; lacking bow and arrow,throwing-stick, sling, and axe. Bow and arrow are wanting also among otherMelanesians, and the Australians ; but the latter have other weapons, in somecases in remarkable abundance and variety. In the poverty of the islanders ofwhom we are speaking one might be inclined to see an effect of their isolation,an evidence of limited intercourse. But many other characteristics point to closeraffinities, in one or another direction, with the inhabitants of Humboldt Bay, theSolomon Islands, or New Hanover. THE RACES OF THE PACIFIC AND THEIR MIGRATIONS 133. The more easterly islands of Melanesia show, as in Fiji and the New Hebrides,the largest proportion of Polynesian influences. Fiji indeed cannot be understoodapart from Tonga ; Fiji is upper, Tonga lower. The relations between thesetwo groups are most intimate. Physically the Fijians must be regarded as hybridsbetween the Mongoloid and the Negroid ; etymologically the Tongan is of allPolynesian dialects the nearest to the Fijian. In style the productions of Fijibear the closest resemblance to those of Samoa. But the broad paddles of NewHanover, with strong middle rib, also remind us vividly of this group. NewCaledonia and the Loyalty Islands form a district by themselves. The inhabit-ants of the former island are more pronounced negroids than those of the latter,where, indeed, Mare contains a Polynesian colony, self-founded ; but in bothPolynesian influences areclearly apparent. Deduct-ing the effects of the soiland the unfavourable cli-mate, there still rem
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectethnology, bookyear18
