Danes. Natives of Denmark, belonging to the Scandinavian stock of the Aryan family. Denmark was originally inhabited by the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, who colonised England. On their departure, the Danes from Zealand settled on the deserted lands, and there reared the kingdom which still exists. The early Danes were brave warriors and skilled seamen, who for a time ruled Saxon England under Canute. Their descendants, of comparatively pure blood, preserve these characteristics, and are also industrious agriculturists.
Dards. A warlike and hardy race of Aryan descent, inhabiting the mountainous country around Gilgit, in North-west India, of whom the Hunzas and Nagars are the chief tribes.
Dargos. See [LESGHIANS].
Delawares. A North American Indian race with whom William Penn dealt in the 17th century: now fairly civilised. See [ALGONQUIAN].
Didos. See [LESGHIANS].
Dinkas. See [NILITIC GROUP].
Dogras. An Aryan race in the Punjab, between the Chinab and the Ravi, who contribute excellent soldiers to the British Native Army.
Dorians. See [HELLENES].
Dravidas, or Dravidians. Indigenous non-Aryan inhabitants of South India, including the Telingas or Telugu of the Nizam’s Dominions, the Tamils of Karnatic and Ceylon, the Kanarese of Mysore, the Malayalim of Malabar Coast, those wild hunters the Gonds of Vindhya Hills, the Sinhalese of Ceylon, and perhaps the [Veddahs] (q.v.). A Mongoloid race originally, which has been assimilated to the Caucasic type by long intermixture of blood.
Druses. A brave, handsome and industrious white race, who have been settled in the Lebanon district of Syria for at least 800 years, and owe their unity to the possession of a special religion. Their origin is uncertain, but they are probably of a mixed stock, to which Arabs, Kurds, and Persians have all contributed. They are fair-haired and of light complexion. They are very warlike, have always preserved their independence against the Turks, and are the inveterate enemies of the [Maronites] (q.v.).