family of Ethiopic Man, occupying the southern half of the African
continent, south of the Cameroons and Albert Nyanza. A Negro race
modified from the Sudanese type by Hamite influences.
=Banyai.= Bantu Negroes, south of the Middle Zambesi.
=Banyoro.= See WANYORO.
=Bapedi.= Bantu Negroes of Bechuana stock.
=Bareas.= Sudanese Negroes inhabiting the Abyssinian slopes.
=Barguzins.= See BURIATS.
=Baris.= See NILITIC GROUP.
=Barolongs.= Bantu Negroes of Bechuana stock, between Vryburg
and Molopo river. Mafeking is their capital.
=Barotse.= Bantu Negroes of Bechuana stock, about headwaters
of Molopo river.
=Barrés.= South American Indians in Venezuela and Guiana.
=Basés.= Sudanese Negroes of Abyssinian slopes, a very low
negroid type.
=Bashkirs.= A branch of the Turki stock of the Northern
Mongolic family. They are first mentioned in the tenth century as
a warlike and idolatrous race, noted for their large, round, short
heads, from which their name is derived. They now inhabit the
Orenberg and Perm districts of Russia, on the western slopes of the
Ural. Some are settled agriculturists, others pastoral nomads.
=Bashukulumbwe.= Bantu Negroes of Kafue basin in Zambesia.
=Basimba= or =Cimbebas=. Aboriginal Negroes of South
Angola; a low Bantu type, or possibly Negrito, allied to Bushmen.
=Basonge.= See BALUBA.
=Basques.= One of the few non-Aryan races still existing
in Europe, where they inhabit the districts on the French and
Spanish sides of the Western Pyrenees. They originally occupied a
much wider area in this neighbourhood, and preserve their ancient
costume and language. Their ethnological affinities are still in
dispute, but the best opinion is that they represent the ancient
Iberians (_q.v._), a Western Hamitic race, related to the Berbers
of North Africa on the one hand and to the Picts of Scotland and
the ancient Irish on the other. Probably they have occupied their
present home since Neolithic times. They are mainly agriculturists,
with all the rustic virtues, and make excellent soldiers and
servants.
=Bassas.= See LIBERIAN GROUP.
=Bastaards.= See GRIQUAS.
=Bastarnæ.= See GOTHS.
=Basutos.= The most civilised race of Bantu Negroes, of the
Bechuana stock, who inhabit the rugged uplands of Basutoland, a
British Crown Colony. They have long been subjected to European
and Christian influence, under which they have presented the
sole instance of a pure negro community, which has made itself
self-supporting and approximately civilised. They have succeeded in
assimilating Western culture, and their little State--which always
preserved its independence against other natives and Boers--is a
very flourishing example of what the negro can do under favourable
auspices.
=Batanga.= Bantu Negroes of the Cameroons.
=Batavi.= An ancient German race inhabiting the island formed
by the Meuse and an arm of the Rhine. Ancestors of the modern Dutch.
=Bateke.= Bantu Negroes of Congo, above Stanley Pool.
=Batjans.= See INDONESIAN.
=Batlapi.= Bantu Negroes of Bechuana stock, near Vryburg.
=Batonga= or =Batoka=. Bantu Negroes of Zambesia,
Manicaland and Tongaland.
=Battaks.= A pre-Malay race of North Sumatra, probably allied
to the Polynesians (_q.v._).
=Batwas.= A pygmy (_q.v._) Negrito race south of Congo, allied
to Bushmen.
=Batwanas.= Bantu Negroes of North Bechuanaland.
=Bavarians.= A branch of the High German stock of the Teutonic
family, in Bavaria.
=Bayansis.= Bantu Negroes of Middle Congo, on Kwa River.
Strong negro element.
=Bechuanas.= A main stock of Bantu Negroes, occupying what
is known as British Bechuanaland. The name is of European origin,
and has no native significance as applied to the race, but is a
convenient general term.
=Bedawi= or =Bedouins=. Nomadic Arabs (_q.v._) who
inhabit the deserts of Arabia and the neighbouring countries,
and live by stock-breeding and robbery. Their breed of horses is
world-famous. They are independent, chivalrous and hospitable. They
correspond to the Biblical Ishmaelites, whose race and customs they
preserve practically unchanged.
=Bejas.= A race of Eastern Hamites, of splendid physique,
occupying the eastern seaboard of Africa north of Massowah,
including Bisharis, Hadendowas, and other tribes.
=Belgae.= The northernmost of the three races occupying Gaul
in Cæsar’s time, probably of Low German stock, with perhaps a
Celtic element.
=Belgians.= The inhabitants of Belgium, formerly the Spanish
or Austrian Netherlands, of very mixed origin. The natives are
either Flemings of Teutonic stock, or Celtic Walloons (_q.v._).
Mingled with these are large numbers of German, French and Dutch
immigrants; and constant crossing of blood has tended to produce a
truly Belgian type out of all these fluctuating elements. They are
among the most patient and productive of agriculturists, mostly
small proprietors; and they possess flourishing manufactures and a
rich commerce through the great port of Antwerp.
=Beluchis.= See BALUCHIS.
=Bengalis.= The majority of the natives of Bengal belong to
the Hindu stock of the Aryan family, which was probably the first
to develop a true civilisation and a great literature (in the
ancient Sanscrit tongue). The typical Bengali is quick-witted,
versatile, and successful in the arts of peace, but not
warlike--though the native army of the old East Indian Company
was largely recruited from Bengal. The Bengali Babu, of the
professional or lower official class, is well known.
=Beluchis.= See BALUCHIS.
=Benin.= See NIGERIAN GROUP.
=Berbers.= A Western Hamitic race occupying the Atlas
Mountains and the Northern Sahara, of predatory and warlike habits.
They are known in Algeria as Kabyles, and in Sahara as Tuaregs.
Largely dark-haired and swarthy, with prominent noses, they belong
to the Melanochroid branch of Caucasic Man. They correspond to the
ancient Numidians.
=Betsimisarakas.= One of the three main divisions of the
Malagasy, or Malayo-African race which inhabits Madagascar. They
occupy the east coast.
=Bhils.= Primitive and still wild non-Aryan inhabitants of
Central India, of Kolarian family (_q.v._).
=Bisharis.= See BEJAS.
=Blackfoot Indians.= See ALGONQUIAN.
=Bœotians.= A branch of the Æolian race in ancient Greece. The
Bœotians were supposed to be peculiarly dull, and were the typical
rustic clowns of Greek literature.
=Boers.= White inhabitants of Cape Colony, the Transvaal, and
the Orange River Colony, mainly of Dutch descent, with a French
Huguenot element and a sprinkling of Negro blood. They were the
original colonists of South Africa, which they entered in 1652. A
race of farmers (Boer is derived from the Dutch boor, peasant),
they also proved themselves to be hardy pioneers and admirable,
though not at all romantic, fighters, learning in long native
wars the arts of strategy, which they exercised so well against
the English in the South African War of 1899-1902. They have
now accepted the English rule, and promise to be among our most
flourishing African subjects.
=Bohemians.= See CZECH.
=Bolivians.= White natives of Bolivia in South America, of
Spanish descent, with a considerable admixture of Indian blood.
=Bongos.= See NILITIC GROUP.
=Botocudos.= South American Indians on eastern seaboard of
Brazil.
=Brahui.= See BALUCHIS.
=Brazilians.= White natives of Brazil, mainly of Portuguese
descent, but with a considerable admixture, in many districts, of
Indian and negro blood.
=Bretons.= Natives of Brittany, descended from a short,
round-headed, dark race, generally called Celtic, but perhaps
pre-Aryan.
=Bribris.= South American Indians of Costa Rica.
=Britons.= (1) The ancient Britons were a Celtic race, whose
remnants are still to be found in the Welsh (_q.v._). They attained
a considerable degree of civilisation under the Roman conquerors,
and adopted Christianity. The Anglo-Saxon conquest of Britain
drove most of them back into Wales, Cornwall, and other outlying
portions of the island, whilst the remainder were either destroyed
or assimilated. (2) In the wide modern sense, Britons are the white
citizens of the British Empire.
=Bugis= or =Buginese=. Natives of Boni in Celebes; a
primitive Malay race.
=Bulalas.= See LAKE CHAD GROUP.
=Bulgars.= A branch of the Finns (_q.v._), who were originally
settled on the banks of the Volga. In the sixth century they
crossed the Danube and conquered the modern Bulgaria, then occupied
by the Slavonic Slovenians (_q.v._). A speedy fusion took place
between the Slovenians and the Bulgars, who adopted the language
and customs of the former, and rose to greatness as a Slav power.
In the ninth and tenth centuries they ruled the greater part of
the Balkan Peninsula, and warred successfully with the Byzantine
Empire, which, however, subjected them in 1019 under Basil II.,
“the slayer of the Bulgarians.” Later they passed under the Turkish
rule, and ceased to have an independent national existence down to
the nineteenth century.
=Bulgarians.= Inhabitants of the modern Balkan state of
Bulgaria, descended from the Bulgars (_q.v._) with considerable
admixtures of Greek and Turkish blood.
=Bulloms.= See TEMNÉ GROUP.
=Burgundians.= An ancient people of Teutonic race (High
German), who were originally settled between the Oder and Vistula.
In the fifth century they invaded Gaul, where they formed the first
kingdom of Burgundy, between the Aar and the Rhone. There were many
later Burgundian kingdoms and duchies, of which the last and most
famous was that of Charles the Bold, annexed to France in 1477. The
Burgundians are now French subjects, but still show traces of their
Teutonic origin.
=Buriats.= The Western or Siberian branch of the Mongol stock
of the Northern Mongolic family. They occupy the vicinity of Lake
Baikal The majority are nomad pastors, but some have taken to
agriculture. A peace-loving, but lazy and drunken people; they
include various tribes, such as the Barguzins, Selengese, Idinese,
Kudaras and Olkhonese.
=Burmese=, or =Burmans=. A short-statured, thick-set and
flat-featured people, approaching the Chinese type, the principal
race of the Indo-Chinese stock of the Southern Mongolic family.
They inhabit Burma--now a British possession--and are excitable,
turbulent, and given to dacoity, or highway robbery. They make
good farmers and shopkeepers, but are not warlike or methodical.
=Burus.= See INDONESIANS.
=Bushmen.= A nomadic Negro race of South Africa, who stand at
the lowest stage of human culture. They are probably the aborigines
of South Africa, where they have been dispossessed by Hottentots
and Bantus from the north. They are thin and wiry, of small
stature, not unlike the Hottentots in colour and features. They
live by hunting, and possess a curious mythology. Their artistic
powers, comparable to those of Palæolithic Man, are shown in the
remarkable rock-drawings on the walls of their caves.
=Calchaquis.= South American Indians, in Plate River district.
=Cambojans.= Natives of Cambodia, Mongoloid approaching
Caucasic type.
=Canaanites.= One of the main branches of the great Semitic
family, inhabiting Palestine and the Mauritanian sea-coast in
ancient times, including Jews, Phœnicians, Carthaginians, Moabites,
Amorites, Idumæans and Philistines (_q.v._). A fierce and warlike
people, with a remarkable genius for religion, which has greatly
influenced the modern world.
=Canadians.= White natives of Canada, of mixed French and
Anglo-Saxon descent.
=Caribs.= South American Indians, formerly occupying the West
Indian Islands, and now the shores of the Caribbean Sea, including
Macusi, Bakairi, Akawai, Arecuna, and Rucuyenne tribes. They are
strongly built, warlike and fierce, but honourable. The term
cannibal is supposed to be a corruption of their name based on
their habits.
=Carthaginians.= Natives of one of the great empires of the
ancient world, which was founded at Carthage, near the modern
Bizerta, by Phœnician colonists in the ninth century B.C.,
and was destroyed by Rome in 146 B.C. Carthage was the
great rival of Rome as a Mediterranean power. Its inhabitants
belonged to the Canaanite stock of the Semitic family, and were a
nation of traders, cruel and gloomy in temperament, worshippers of
Moloch with human sacrifices. Though in Hannibal they produced one
of the greatest of generals, they were not warlike, and trusted
chiefly to mercenaries, wherefore they fell.
=Catalans.= Natives of North-east Spain, mostly of Gothic
descent, and still distinct from other Spaniards in language and
costume. Honest and enterprising, turbulent, and intensely devoted
to liberty.
=Caucasians.= One of the families of Caucasic Man, inhabiting
the mountainous region of the Caucasus, and divided into
southern, western, and eastern branches [see GEORGIANS,
CIRCASSIANS, CHECHENZES, LESGHIANS].
They include a great number of different tribes, who seem to have
settled there from the earliest historical times. Some of these,
the Melanochroid highlanders, like the Georgians, Circassians, and
Lesghians, present an almost ideal standard of physical beauty,
whilst others are squat and ungainly. Some ethnologists see in the
Caucasus the primitive home of the Aryan family, from whom the
Caucasians would, on this view, be an offshoot. The Ossets (_q.v._)
are certainly Aryan. The Caucasians are very warlike, and struggled
till quite recently with success against the Russian domination.
=Caucasic.= One of the four great divisions of the human race.
Type, white-skinned, square-jawed (orthognathous), skull between
broad and long (mesocephalic), hair soft, straight, or wavy; in
intelligence, enterprise, and civilisation, much superior to other
divisions.
=Cayugas.= See IROQUOIAN.
=Celts.= See KELTS.
=Chakhars.= A branch of Eastern Mongols, settled on the
south-east boundary of the Desert of Gobi.
=Chaldæans.= See BABYLONIANS.
=Chamorros.= Aborigines of the Ladrone Islands, so named from
their thievish propensities. A branch of the Oceanic Mongolic
family, probably allied to the Formosans (_q.v._).
=Chancas.= See INCAS.
=Chaudors.= A nomad tribe inhabiting the steppes east of the
Caspian and south of the Oxus. See TURKOMANS.
=Chapogirs.= See TUNGUSES.
=Charruas.= An extinct race of South American Indians in South
Brazil, peculiar for their extremely black colour with lank hair.
=Chechenzes.= A branch of the Eastern stock of the Caucasian
family, inhabiting the northern slopes of the Eastern Caucasus.
Their chief tribes are Ingushis, Kishis, and Tushis.
=Cheremisses.= See FINNS.
=Cherokees.= A brave and warlike tribe of North American
Indians. See IROQUOIAN.
=Cheyennes.= See ALGONQUIAN.
=Chibchas.= South American Indians of Bogota.
=Chichimecs.= See NAHUANS.
=Chickasaws.= See MUSKHOGEANS.
=Chilians.= White natives of Chili, of Spanish descent, with a
mixture of Araucanian Indian blood.
=Chinese.= One of the most numerous races of the world,
inhabiting the Chinese Empire. They are a stock of the Southern
Mongolic family, and it is thought by some ethnologists that they
are descended from the Mongolic Akkads (_q.v._) of Mesopotamia.
There is a remarkable uniformity in the physical type presented by
the Chinese in all climates and environments; they are the most
homogeneous of great peoples. They are yellow-skinned, short in
stature, with obliquely set eyes, high cheek-bones, long skulls,
and broad faces, with slight prognathism. They possess an ancient
and highly organised civilisation, which is characterised by
its conservatism and slowness to accept new ideas--so different
in this from the Japanese. The Chinese are naturally frugal,
industrious, and patient; they are excellent agriculturists, and
very gregarious; they despise war, but make excellent soldiers when
drilled by Europeans or Japanese. They are eminently literary, and
have a high system of morality. There are many local varieties,
such as the Puntis of the Canton districts, the Hakkas of Swatow,
the Hoklas of Fohkien, the Dungans (_q.v._), which need not be
farther particularised.
=Chinooks.= A nearly extinct tribe of North American Indians
on the Columbia River, on whose language is based the Chinook
jargon, or traders’ Lingua Franca of British Columbia.
=Chins.= See SINGPHOS.
=Chippewayans.= See ATHABASCAN.
=Chiquitos.= South American Indians of Upper Paraguay basin.
=Chiriguanos.= South American Indians of Bolivia.
=Chitralis.= Natives of Chitral, in the Hindu Khush, rough,
hardy hillmen, closely allied to the Kafirs (_q.v._) of Kafiristan.
=Chocos.= A tribe of South American Indians of Matto Grosso.
=Choktaws.= See MUSKHOGEAN.
=Chontals.= Central American Indians of Nicaragua.
=Chols.= See MAYA-QUICHÉ.
=Chorasses.= See KALMUKS.
=Chorotegans.= Central American Indians of Nicaragua.
=Chukchis.= A Northern Mongolic race of North-east Siberia,
closely akin to the American Eskimo in features and customs. They
are of high character and very independent, but at a low stage of
civilisation, and live by reindeer-breeding and hunting. A branch
of the Chukchis, differing mainly in language, is known as the
Koryaks.
=Chunchos.= South American Indians on tributaries of Beni
River in Peru.
=Cimbebas.= See BASIMBA.
=Circassians=, or =Tcherkesses=. A race of Caucasian
mountaineers, formerly inhabiting the Black Sea coast between Anapa
and Pitzunta, of high physical type, who maintained an unavailing
struggle against Russia till 1864, when their subjugation was
followed by a wholesale emigration of the Circassian tribes to
the Turkish Empire. Allied to them are the Abkhasians and Kabards
(_q.v._).
=Colombians.= White natives of Colombia, in Central America,
mostly of Spanish descent, with an admixture of Indian and negro
blood.
=Comanches.= See SHOSHONEAN.
=Conibos.= South American Indians of Peru.
=Copts.= Christian descendants of the ancient Egyptians
(_q.v._), of middle stature, slender limbs, and pale complexion,
who inhabit Egypt, and preserve the language and customs of the
last period of ancient Egyptian civilisation. They are essentially
townsmen, clerks, or artisans.
=Coras.= See OPATA-PIMA.
=Cornish.= A race of Brythonic or P Celts, akin to Welsh
and Bretons, inhabiting Cornwall in earlier times; now absorbed
in English stock. Their language became extinct in seventeenth
or eighteenth century. The crossing of the Cornish Celts with
Anglo-Saxons has given birth to a singularly fine race of hardy
fishermen and miners.
=Corsicans.= The aborigines of Corsica were probably a Western
Hamitic race, allied to the Ligurians (_q.v._). They were followed
by Ionian invaders, and in turn by Carthaginian, Roman, Vandal,
Hun, Gothic, Saracenic, and Italian conquerors, each of whom has
added something to the mixture of blood in the modern Corsicans,
a turbulent, lawless, and warlike race (now belonging to France),
whose greatest son was Napoleon.
=Costa Ricans.= White natives of Costa Rica, in Central
America, mostly of pure Spanish descent.
=Crees.= See ALGONQUIAN.
=Creek Indians.= See MUSKHOGEAN.
=Creoles.= Persons born in past or present French, Spanish, or
Portuguese colonies, of pure European descent.
=Cretans.= An ancient race of prehistoric culture [see
MYCENÆANS]; in modern times chiefly Greek, mixed with Turk.
=Croats.= Inhabitants of Croatia, now mainly of Slavonic race,
mingled with an earlier short, dark race of non-Aryan descent.
One of the motley races of the Austrian Empire. They are warlike,
turbulent, and eager for independence.
=Cro-Magnon.= A prehistoric race settled in the Vezere
district of France, which may be taken as the primitive type of
Caucasic Man. It is only known by a few skulls and other relics,
and probably dates back to the Glacial Period.
=Crow Indians.= See SIOUAN.
=Cymry.= See WELSH.
=Czechs=, or =Bohemians=. The most westerly branch of the
Slavonic stock of the Aryan family, now occupying Bohemia, Moravia,
and other parts of Austria. They are closely allied to the Slovaks
of Hungary. They migrated from the Upper Vistula district to the
modern Bohemia in the fifth century. Long an independent kingdom,
and a bulwark of Christendom against the Turks, Bohemia passed to
Austria in 1526. During the last century there has been a great
recrudescence of the Czech nationality and language. The Czechs as
a race are very musical and artistic.
=Daflas.= A Tibetan race inhabiting the northern border of
Assam.
=Dahomans.= See EWE.
=Dakotas.= See SIOUAN.
=Dalmatians.= A Southern Slavonic race, crossed with Gothic
blood. A fine race of hardy seamen, they manned the Venetian
fleets, but now belong to Austria.
=Damaras=, or =Hau-Khoin=. See HEREROS.
=Danakils=, or =Afars=. An Eastern Hamitic race settled
in the vicinity of Obock, between Abyssinia and the Red Sea. They
are nomad pastors and fishermen, well-built, and slender.
=Danes.= Natives of Denmark, belonging to the Scandinavian
stock of the Aryan family. Denmark was originally inhabited by
the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, who colonised England. On their
departure, the Danes from Zealand settled on the deserted lands,
and there reared the kingdom which still exists. The early Danes
were brave warriors and skilled seamen, who for a time ruled Saxon
England under Canute. Their descendants, of comparatively pure
blood, preserve these characteristics, and are also industrious
agriculturists.
=Dards.= A warlike and hardy race of Aryan descent, inhabiting
the mountainous country around Gilgit, in North-west India, of whom
the Hunzas and Nagars are the chief tribes.
=Dargos.= See LESGHIANS.
=Delawares.= A North American Indian race with whom William
Penn dealt in the 17th century: now fairly civilised. See
ALGONQUIAN.
=Didos.= See LESGHIANS.
=Dinkas.= See NILITIC GROUP.
=Dogras.= An Aryan race in the Punjab, between the Chinab and
the Ravi, who contribute excellent soldiers to the British Native
Army.
=Dorians.= See HELLENES.
=Dravidas=, or =Dravidians=. Indigenous non-Aryan
inhabitants of South India, including the Telingas or Telugu of the
Nizam’s Dominions, the Tamils of Karnatic and Ceylon, the Kanarese
of Mysore, the Malayalim of Malabar Coast, those wild hunters the
Gonds of Vindhya Hills, the Sinhalese of Ceylon, and perhaps the
Veddahs (_q.v._). A Mongoloid race originally, which has been
assimilated to the Caucasic type by long intermixture of blood.
=Druses.= A brave, handsome and industrious white race, who
have been settled in the Lebanon district of Syria for at least 800
years, and owe their unity to the possession of a special religion.
Their origin is uncertain, but they are probably of a mixed stock,
to which Arabs, Kurds, and Persians have all contributed. They are
fair-haired and of light complexion. They are very warlike, have
always preserved their independence against the Turks, and are the
inveterate enemies of the Maronites (_q.v._).
=Dungans.= Southern Mongolic inhabitants of Zungaria, between
Tian-Shan and Altai. Allied to Chinese (_q.v._).
=Durbats.= See KALMUKS.
=Duranis.= See AFGHANS.
=Dyaks.= The aborigines of Borneo, probably akin to the Malays
(_q.v._), whom they resemble physically, though of greater average
stature. They are active and warlike, and formerly indulged in
the practice of head-hunting, now dying out. The Sea-Dyaks were
bold and inveterate pirates. They possess a considerable degree of
indigenous civilisation, and their moral character is very fine.
=Easter Islanders.= (1) See POLYNESIANS. (2) Easter
Island once possessed an older race of inhabitants, now extinct,
who have left very remarkable traces in the shape of numerous
colossal statues, thin-lipped and disdainful, standing on platforms
of Cyclopean masonry, as well as many stone houses with thick
walls, painted on the inside. Nothing farther is known of their
race or history.