the malay archipelago-1-第6节

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d　can　determine　approximately　its　latest　movements　above　and　below　the　sea…level；　but　wherever　oceans　and　seas　now　extend；　he　can　do　nothing　but　speculate　on　the　very　limited　data　afforded　by　the　depth　of　the　waters。　Here　the　naturalist　steps　in；　and　enables　him　to　fill　up　this　great　gap　in　the　past　history　of　the　earth。

One　of　the　chief　objects　of　my　travels　was　to　obtain　evidence　of　this　nature；　and　my　search　after　such　evidence　has　been　rewarded　by　great　success；　so　that　I　have　been　able　to　trace　out　with　some　probability　the　past　changes　which　one　of　the　most　interesting　parts　of　the　earth　has　undergone。　It　may　be　thought　that　the　facts　and　generalizations　here　given　would　have　been　more　appropriately　placed　at　the　end　rather　than　at　the　beginning　of　a　narrative　of　the　travels　which　supplied　the　facts。　In　some　cases　this　might　be　so；　but　I　have　found　it　impossible　to　give　such　an　account　as　I　desire　of　the　natural　history　of　the　numerous　islands　and　groups　of　islands　in　the　Archipelago；　without　constant　reference　to　these　generalizations　which　add　so　much　to　their　interest。　Having　given　this　general　sketch　of　the　subject；　I　shall　be　able　to　show　how　the　same　principles　can　be　applied　to　the　individual　islands　of　a　group；　as　to　the　whole　Archipelago；　and　thereby　make　my　account　of　the　many　new　and　curious　animals　which　inhabit　them　both；　more　interesting　and　more　instructive　than　if　treated　as　mere　isolated　facts。

Contrasts　of　Races。Before　I　had　arrived　at　the　conviction　that　the　eastern　and　western　halves　of　the　Archipelago　belonged　to　distinct　primary　regions　of　the　earth；　I　had　been　led　to　group　the　natives　of　the　Archipelago　under　two　radically　distinct　races。　In　this　I　differed　from　most　ethnologists　who　had　before　written　on　the　subject；　for　it　had　been　the　almost　universal　custom　to　follow　William　von　Humboldt　and　Pritchard；　in　classing　all　the　Oceanic　races　as　modifications　of　one　type。　Observation　soon　showed　me；　however；　that　Malays　and　Papuans　differed　radically　in　every　physical；　mental；　and　moral　character；　and　more　detailed　research；　continued　for　eight　years；　satisfied　me　that　under　these　two　forms；　as　types；　the　whole　of　the　peoples　of　the　Malay　Archipelago　and　Polynesia　could　be　classified。　On　drawing　the　line　which　separates　these　races；　it　is　found　to　come　near　to　that　which　divides　the　zoological　regions；　but　somewhat　eastward　of　it；　a　circumstance　which　appears　to　me　very　significant　of　the　same　causes　having　influenced　the　distribution　of　mankind　that　have　determined　the　range　of　other　animal　forms。

The　reason　why　exactly　the　same　line　does　not　limit　both　is　sufficiently　intelligible。　Man　has　means　of　traversing　the　sea　which　animals　do　not　possess；　and　a　superior　race　has　power　to　press　out　or　assimilate　an　inferior　one。　The　maritime　enterprise　and　higher　civilization　of　the　Malay　races　have　enabled　them　to　overrun　a　portion　of　the　adjacent　region；　in　which　they　have　entirely　supplanted　the　indigenous　inhabitants　if　it　ever　possessed　any；　and　to　spread　much　of　their　language；　their　domestic　animals；　and　their　customs　far　over　the　Pacific；　into　islands　where　they　have　but　slightly；　or　not　at　all；　modified　the　physical　or　moral　characteristics　of　the　people。

I　believe；　therefore；　that　all　the　peoples　of　the　various　islands　can　be　grouped　either　with　the　Malays　or　the　Papuans；　and　that　these　two　have　no　traceable　affinity　to　each　other。　I　believe；　further；　that　all　the　races　east　of　the　line　I　have　drawn　have　more　affinity　for　each　other　than　they　have　for　any　of　the　races　west　of　that　line；　that；　in　fact；　the　Asiatic　races　include　the　Malays；　and　all　have　a　continental　origin；　while　the　Pacific　races；　including　all　to　the　east　of　the　former　（except　perhaps　some　in　the　Northern　Pacific）；　are　derived；　not　from　any　existing　continent；　but　from　lands　which　now　exist　or　have　recently　existed　in　the　Pacific　Ocean。　These　preliminary　observations　will　enable　the　reader　better　to　apprehend　the　importance　I　attach　to　the　details　of　physical　form　or　moral　character；　which　I　shall　give　in　describing　the　inhabitants　of　many　of　the　islands。

CHAPTER　II。

SINGAPORE。

（A　SKETCH　OF　THE　TOWN　AND　ISLAND　AS　SEEN　DURING　SEVERAL　VISITS　FROM　1854　TO　1862。）

FEW　places　are　more　interesting　to　a　traveller　from　Europe　than　the　town　and　island　of　Singapore；　furnishing；　as　it　does；　examples　of　a　variety　of　Eastern　races；　and　of　many　different　religions　and　modes　of　life。　The　government；　the　garrison；　and　the　chief　merchants　are　English；　but　the　great　mass　of　the　population　is　Chinese；　including　some　of　the　wealthiest　merchants；　the　agriculturists　of　the　interior；　and　most　of　the　mechanics　and　labourers。　The　native　Malays　are　usually　fishermen　and　boatmen；　and　they　form　the　main　body　of　the　police。　The　Portuguese　of　Malacca　supply　a　large　number　of　the　clerks　and　smaller　merchants。　The　Klings　of　Western　India　are　a　numerous　body　of　Mahometans；　and；　with　many　Arabs；　are　petty　merchants　and　shopkeepers。　The　grooms　and　washermen　are　all　Bengalees；　and　there　is　a　small　but　highly　respectable　class　of　Parsee　merchants。　Besides　these；　there　are　numbers　of　Javanese　sailors　and　domestic　servants；　as　well　as　traders　from　Celebes；　Bali；　and　many　other　islands　of　the　Archipelago。　The　harbour　is　crowded　with　men…of…war　and　trading　vessels　of　many　European　nations；　and　hundreds　of　Malay　praus　and　Chinese　junks；　from　vessels　of　several　hundred　tons　burthen　down　to　little　fishing　boats　and　passenger　sampans；　and　the　town　comprises　handsome　public　buildings　and　churches；　Mahometan　mosques；　Hindu　temples；　Chinese　joss…houses；　good　European　houses；　massive　warehouses；　queer　old　Kling　and　China　bazaars；　and　long　suburbs　of　Chinese　and　Malay　cottages。

By　far　the　most　conspicuous　of　the　various　kinds　of　people　in　Singapore；　and　those　which　most　attract　the　stranger's　attention；　are　the　Chinese；　whose　numbers　and　incessant　activity　give　the　place　very　much　the　appearance　of　a　town　in　China。　The　Chinese　merchant　is　generally　a　fat　round…faced　man　with　an　important　and　business…like　look。　He　wears　the　same　style　of　clothing　（loose　white　smock；　and　blue　or　black　trousers）　as　the　meanest　coolie；　but　of　finer　materials；　and　is　always　clean　and　neat；　and　his　long　tail　tipped　with　red　silk　hangs　down　to　his　heels。　He　has　a　handsome　warehouse　or　shop　in　town　and　a　good　house　in　the　country。　He　keeps　a　fine　horse　and　gig；　and　every　evening　may　be　seen　taking　a　drive　bareheaded　to　enjoy　the　cool　breeze。　He　is　richhe　owns　several　retail　shops　and　trading　schooners；　he　lends　money　at　high　interest　and　on　good　security；　he　makes　hard　bargains；　and　gets　fatter　and　richer　every　year。

In　the　Chinese　bazaar　are　hundreds　of　small　shops　in　which　a　miscellaneous　collection　of　hardware　and　dry　goods　are　to　be　found；　and　where　many　things　are　sold　wonderfully　cheap。　You　may　buy　gimlets　at　a　penny　each；　white　cotton　thread　at　four　balls　for　a　halfpenny；　and　penknives；　corkscrews；　gunpowder；　writing…　paper；　and　many　other　articles　as　cheap　or　cheaper　than　you　can　purchase　them　in　England。　The　shopkeeper　is　very　good…natured；　he　will　show　you　everything　he　has；　and　does　not　seem　to　mind　if　you　buy　nothing。　He　bates　a　little；　but　not　so　much　as　the　Klings；　who　almost　always　ask　twice　what　they　are　willing　to　take。　If　you　buy　a　few　things　from　him；　he　will　speak　to　you　afterwards　every　time　you　pass　his　shop；　asking　you　to　walk　in　and　sit　down；　or　take　a　cup　of　tea；　and　you　wonder　how　he　can　get　a　living　where　so　many　sell　the　same　trifling　articles。

The　tailors　sit　at　a　table；　not　on　one；　and　both　they　and　the　shoemakers　work　well　and　cheaply。　The　barbers　have　plenty　to　do；　shaving　heads　and　cleaning　ears；　for　which　latter　operation　they　have　a　great　array　of　little　tweezers；　picks；　and　brushes。　In　the　outskirts　of　the　town　are　scores　of　carpenters　and　blacksmiths。　The　former　seem　chiefly　to　make　coffins　and　highly　painted　and　decorated　clothes…boxes。　The　latter　are　mostly　gun…makers；　and　bore　the　barrels　of　guns　by　hand　out　of　solid　bars　of　iron。　At　this　tedious　operation　they　may　be　seen　every　day；　and　they　manage　to　finish　off　a　gun　with　a　flintlock　very　handsomely。　All　about　the　streets　are　sellers　of　water；　vegetables；　fruit；　soup；　and　agar…agar　（a　jelly　made　of　seaweed）；　who　have　many　cries　as　unintelligible　as　those　of　London。　Others　carry　a　portable　cooking…apparatus　on　a　pole　balanced　by　a　table　at　the　other　end；　and　serve　up　a　meal　of　shellfish；　rice；　and　vegetables　for　two　or　three　halfpencewhile　coolies　and　boatmen　waiting　to　be　hired　are　everywhere　to　be　met　with。

In　the　interior　of　the　island　the　Chinese　cut　down　forest　trees　in　the　jungle；　and　saw　them　up　into　planks；　they　cultivate　vegetables；　which　they　bring　to　market；　and　they　grow　pepper　and　gambir；　which　form　important　articles　of　export。　The　French　Jesuits　have　established　missions　among　these　inland　Chinese；　which　seem　very　successful。　I　lived　for　several　weeks　at　a　time　with　the　missionary　at　Bukit…tima；　about　the　centre　of　the　island；　where　a　pretty　church　has　been　built　and　there　are　about　300　converts。　While　there；　I　met　a　missionary　who　had　just　arrived　from　Tonquin；　where　he　had　been　living　for　many　years。　The　Jesuits　still　do　their　work　thoroughly　as　of　old。　In　Cochin　China；　Tonq