Melanesians and Polynesians

Abstract

THE veteran missionary who writes this book lived for more than twenty years on the islands of the Pacific, at the time—a generation ago—when the peoples of the western Pacific were scarcely known, when “… Old and New Weltered upon the border of the world.” Much of his time was spent in New Britain, more in Samoa, and the natives of these places are the people whom he means when he speaks of Melanesians and Polynesians. Dr. Brown has also visited the New Hebrides, Santa Cruz, New Ireland, New Hanover, New Guinea, and the atolls of Ontong, Java, and the Tasman group. In the introduction the author disclaims “pet theories”; nevertheless he gives us (pp. 15—17) the theory as to the origin of the Melanesian and Polynesian races, which he published in the Journal of the Anthropological Institute in 1887. Much water has flowed under the bridges since then, and it is at least a pity that Dr. Brown does not discuss (except briefly in the concluding chapter) some of the facts which do not support his views.