Page:Aboriginesofvictoria01.djvu/96

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14
THE ABORIGINES OF VICTORIA:

The Mongolian features are better shown in the photographs of the women, some of whom are much like the Chinese females. The eyes are slightly oblique, but the cheek-bones are not high; and in some examples the face is oval and the contour almost beautiful.

Fig. 12 illustration of Aboriginesofvictoria01
FIG. 12.

The portrait (Fig. 12) is that of a son of a chief of the Island of Mauti or Mauke—one of the Cook or Hervey's Group. In appearance generally he resembles the Maori of New Zealand, but he is not tattooed. His face, when animated, exhibited a culture, intelligence, and refinement not usually seen, I believe, amongst the Maories. This young man, who wrote his name Tomanu, came on a visit to Melbourne. He could speak but little English—only a few words—but he had evidently been well educated by the Missionaries. The skin of his face was rough and coarse, his complexion a deep yellowish-olive, his eyes horizontal and dark-brown, the "whites" pretty clear; his hair black, with here and there a white hair; he had rather scanty indications of a beard, and a retreating forehead, but a not unshapely head. His neck was strong, and he was a tall, large, rather heavy man. He may be regarded as a fine specimen of the Malayo-Polynesian. It is said that in the islands where he lives the lower classes are very dark, and inferior in stature and in appearance to the chiefs. He spoke with a slight lisp.

He gave me a few words of his native tongue. They are as follow:—

Head Mowk-ke.
Eyes M'atta.
Nose Put-i-u.
Mouth Vah-vah.
Teeth Ne-o.
Chin Tangla.
Beard Oo-roo-roo.
Tongue Lillah.
Hand Dimang.
Feet Vah-veer.
Fingers Mong-ah Mong-ah.
Nails of fingers Mikeah.

I could not ascertain whether or not the numerals in his language went beyond five. He gave me the following only:—

One Kotti.
Two Karoo-ah.
Three Kaderooh.
Four Ka-ah.
Five Kerimang.

One of the words for head in the language of the New Zealanders is Makawe; the word for eye in the dialect of De Peyster's Islands, the Marquesas, and