Darwin tells us that his correspondents, missionaries and
others, satisfied him on this point. Loud laughter accom-
panied by jumping about and clapping of the hands, and
frequently carried to the point of a flooding of the eyes —
these are conspicuous characteristics to be met with among
the Australians and other savage tribes.^ Other testimony
supports Darwin. Sturt, for example, tells us that the
natives of Central Australia are a merry people, and sit up
laughing and talking all the night long.^ The more recent
observations of Lumholtz support the view that the natives
are "very humorous".^ The Maoris (of New Zealand) are
said by one traveller to be " remarkable for their natural
gaiety : they are merry fellows : always laughing and
joking, especially during the adventures of a journey ".*
Of the Tasmanians we read : " There is not a little love of
fun in the despised aborigine ",^ Similarly, the South Sea
Islanders are " more accustomed to jesting, mirth and humour
than irritating and reproachful language ".* The natives
of Tahiti, again, "jest upon each other with greater freedom
than the Europeans "J So, the Tongans have " a strong sense
of the ludicrous " which they show in " the ordinary inter-
course of life ".* Mr. Ling Roth, writing of the natives of
Borneo, speaks of " the chafi" and fun so dear to the heart
of every Kanowit ".'

1 Expression, of the Emotions, p. 209.
^Central Australia (18S3), ii., p. 138.
' Among Cammbals (1889), p. 291.
* Angaa, Australia and New Zealand (1847), ii., p. 11.
"Bonwiok, The Daily Life of the Tasmanians (1870), p. 174.
"Ellis, Polynesian Resea/rches (18.32), 1., p. 96.
'TurnbuU, A Voyage Bownd the World (1818), p. 372.
