"The colour of the _Feejeeans_ is a chocolate-brown, or a hue mid-way between the jet-black of the Negro, and the brownish yellow of the _Polynesian_. There are, however, two shades very distinctly marked, like the blonde and brunette complexions in the white race; besides all the intermediate gradations. In one of these shades the brown predominates, and in the other the copper. They do not belong to distinct castes or classes, but are found indiscriminately among all ranks and in all tribes. The natives are aware of the distinction, and call the lighter coloured people, _Viti ndamundamu_, "red _Feejeeans_;" but they do not seem to regard it as anything which requires or admits of explanation. These red-skinned natives must not be confounded with the _Tonga-Viti_, or individuals of mixed _Tongan_ and _Feejeean_ blood, of whom there are many on some parts of the group."
Their ferocious and suspicious character is described in very unfavourable terms; to which it may be added, that their cannibalism is undoubted, and that they are skilful in the art of pottery--a fact of which the import has already been noticed.
The problem that is suggested by the intermediate character of the Fijis is manifest: it is the question as to whether we have _intermixture_ or _transition_. Further notice, however, of this point, will stand over until the next divisions have been disposed of.
THE AUSTRALIAN BRANCH OF THE KELÆNONESIAN STOCK.
_Physical appearance._--Kelænonesians with hair generally straight, or waved, sometimes frizzy.
_Fauna._--Absence of ruminants and pachydermata.
_Divisions._--1. Australians. 2. Tasmanians(?).
The differences between the different Australian languages have long been known and definitely insisted upon.
Less marked differences in frame and physiognomy between the different Australian tribes, have also been long known and definitely insisted upon.
Differences of customs and manners have been similarly noticed and considered. Notwithstanding all this, however, there is no opinion more generally admitted than the fundamental unity of the Australian population from Swan River to Botany Bay, from the Gulf of Carpentaria to Bass's Straits. Captain Grey, Schurman, Teichelman, and all who have devoted average attention to the language, have given their evidence to this; and they have supplied facts of various kinds, of their own collection, towards the proof of it. No man is less inclined to disturb this view than the present writer. In the Fourth Number of the Philological Transactions,[72] he enumerated the whole of the vocabularies then known to him, and added some short lists of the words wherein the more distant ones agreed with each other. Thus a scanty vocabulary from the Gulf of Carpentaria, which had seventeen words in common with one from Endeavour River, had three (perhaps four) identical.