_The Tasmanians._--A few families, the remains of the aborigines of Van Dieman's Land, occupy Flinder's Island, whither they have been removed. I can give but little information concerning them. From the Australians they differ but slightly in mental capacity, and civilizational development. Perhaps their very low level in this respect is the lower of the two. The language seems to have fallen into not less than four mutually unintelligible forms of speech. Their _hair_ constituted their chief physical difference. This was curled, frizzy, or mopped. The _a priori_ view of their origin is that they crossed Torres Straits from Australia. I have, however, stated elsewhere that a case may be made out for either Timor or New Caledonia being their mother countries; in which case the stream of population has gone _round_ Australia rather than _across_ it. Certain peculiarities of the Tasmanian language give us the ground for thus demurring to the _primâ facie_ view of their descent. The same help us to account for the differences in texture of the hair.[70] FOOTNOTES: [63] Malacca, Wellesley Province, Penang, and Sincapore. For excellent information about the ethnology of these parts see Newbold's "British Settlements," and the "Journal of the Indian Archipelago." [64] From ἀμφὶ (_amfi_) _roundabout_, and νῆσος (_næsos_) _an island_. [65] Logan in "Journal of the Indian Archipelago," vol. i. [66] Logan and Thompson in "Journal of the Indian Archipelago," vol. i. [67] Especially Crawfurd's "Indian Archipelago," Sir Stamford Raffles' "History of Java," and Marsden's "Sumatra." [68] Dr. Dieffenbach's work on New Zealand is the repertory of details here--a valuable and standard book. [69] The collation of these may be seen in the Appendix to Mr. Jukes' "Voyage of the Fly." [70] In the Appendix to Jukes' "Voyage of the Fly," and in "Man and his Migrations." CHAPTER VI. DEPENDENCIES IN AMERICA. THE ATHABASKANS OF THE HUDSON'S BAY COUNTRY.--THE ALGONKIN STOCK.--THE IROQUOIS.--THE SIOUX.--ASSINEBOINS.--THE ESKIMO.--THE KOLÚCH.--THE NEHANNI.--DIGOTHI.--THE ATSINA.--INDIANS OF BRITISH OREGON, QUADRA'S AND VANCOUVER'S ISLAND.--HAIDAH.--CHIMSHEYAN.-- BILLICHULA.--HAILTSA.--NUTKA.--ATNA.--KITUNAHA INDIANS.--PARTICULAR ALGONKIN TRIBES.--THE NASCOPI.--THE BETHUCK.--NUMERALS FROM FITZ-HUGH SOUND.--THE MOSKITO INDIANS.--SOUTH AMERICAN INDIANS OF BRITISH GUIANA.--CARIBS.--WAROWS.--WAPISIANAS.--TARUMAS.--CARIBS OF ST. VINCENT.--TRINIDAD.