_Andaman_--The _Andaman_ Language is monosyllabic, and allied to the
Burmese of the opposite continent.
_Nicoaar_ &c.--The statement that there are Blacks in the _Nicobar
Islands_ is inaccurate. The tribes further from the coast are the
rudest. In the Nicobar vocabulary of the Voyage of the Galathea
(_Steen Bille_--_Galathea's Reise omkring Jorden_), the language most
especially represented is that of the island Terressa; the words
from Nancovry being marked _N_, and those from Cariecobar _C. N._ No
difference, beyond that of dialect, is recognized as existing between
them. At the same time it is, by no means, certain, that every form of
speech belonging to the Archipelago is known to us.
_Samang &c._--The statement that these are the Orang Udai is
inaccurate. For further notice of the Samang see Newbold's Indian
Archipelago; a work not known to me when my paper was written. The
ethnology of the Orang Benua is fully illustrated in the Journal of the
Indian Archipelago. They are all Malay.
_Sumatra._--This island gives us certain tribes ruder than others--not
blacker; at any rate no Negritos.
The same applies to _Borneo_; where there is plenty of barbarism but
nothing Negrito.
The same to the _Sulu_ Archipelago.
The _Manillas_.--Specimens of four of the so-called Negrito languages
are to be found in Steen Bille's Voyage of the Galathea (Vol. III.);
headed, (1) Umiray, (2) St. Miguel; (3) St. Matheo and (4) Dumagat.
They evidently belong to the same group as the Tagal.
_Formosa and Loocho._--The criticism that applies to Borneo and the
Sulu Archipelago applies here.
For _Timor_, _Ombay_ &c. see the next paper.
The language of the _Arru_ islanders is not mentioned; indeed in 1843
no specimens of their language had been published. Since, however, a
good account of them has been given by Windsor Earl. Their language
contains much in common with the languages of the islands to the west
of them, whilst in physical appearance they approach the Papuans.
They present, in short, transitional characters--_Journal of Indian
Archipelago, and The Papua Races_.
_New Britain_ &c.--For Louisiade forms of speech see the next paper but
one; for those of New Caledonia &c. see the fourth.
_The Fijis._--The language of the Fijis is Polynesian.
_Cocos Island._--The vocabulary of the island so-named seems to me to
be that of Ticopia; and, as such, anything but Negrito.
In Braim's Australia we find specimens of five _Tasmanian_ forms of
speech. The additions to the philology of Australia since 1843 are too
numerous to find place in a notice like the present. The fundamental
unity of all the languages of that continent is, now, generally
recognized.
Of the _Micronesian_ Islanders (natives of the _Marianne_ and
_Caroline_ Archipelagos) some tribes are darker than others. They
chiefly occupy the coral, as opposed to the volcanic, formations. The
same is the case with the supposed Negritos of Polynesia.
ON THE GENERAL AFFINITIES
OF THE
LANGUAGES OF THE OCEANIC BLACKS.