From Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke 30 November 1870
Sarawak
Novbr 30th /70
Dear Sir/
Altho’ three years have passed since I recd yr note accompanied by the 17 queries about expressions1—since then I have been a year in Europe or I should have sent a reply before—as I have never lost sight of observing the countenances of the people—more particularly the Dyaks of Sakarang and Saribus tribes—2 From Malays I think little originality can be expected as they are early tutored in conducting themselves in an orthodox Mahomedan Code— for instances—when seated on a mat receiving, or visiting a stranger, the feet are not to be shown—they are doubled up underneath—the hands clasped one on the other—not to show the palms—body slightly stooping & head inclined downwards—eyes looking down— in being surprised, they slowly move their heads to & fro with out expressing any remark— Their customs are brought from other parts more than derived from their fore fathers— I enclose a few answers to yr queries—and regret they are not more complete—
I have lately forwarded a female Maias to the Taunton Museum—3 I believe a perfect specimen— tho’ not large & found in the Rejang river some little distance from Si Munjau & Batang Lupar where Mr Wallace & Signor Brecari obtained their specimens4
If I can be of any service in obtaining a few natural specimens I shall be happy to do my best—
I am | Dear Sir | Yrs faithfully | C Brooke
[Enclosure]
CD annotations
Footnotes
Bibliography
Columbia gazetteer of the world: The Columbia gazetteer of the world. Edited by Saul B. Cohen. 3 vols. New York: Columbia University Press. 1998.
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 27 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Expression: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Freeman, Derek. 1981. Some reflections on the nature of Iban society. Canberra: Australian National University.
Kaur, Amarjit. 2001. Historical dictionary of Malaysia. 2d edition. Lanham, Md., and London: Scarecrow Press.
Roth, Henry Ling. 1896. The natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo. 2 vols. London: Truslove & Hanson.
Summary
Encloses a few answers to CD’s queries on expression. Continues to observe the expressions and habits of the Malays, Dyaks, and Saribus tribes [See Expression, pp. 21, 209].
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-7386
- From
- Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Sarawak
- Source of text
- DAR 160: 322, 322/1
- Physical description
- 4pp †, encl 2pp †
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 7386,” accessed on 10 April 2021, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/DCP-LETT-7386.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 18