the other, both inclusive, the space of two hundred degrees
of longitude.” fl The various dialects of this speech, though
they have a wonderful accordance in many essential properties,
have experienced those changes whieh separation,, time,
and accident produce, and in respect to the purposes of intercourse
may be classed, into several .languages, differing
considerably from each other.” * The same author observes
in another place, that “ this lan g u ag e comprehends a wider
space than the Roman, or any other tongue, has yet. boasted.”
f t In different places it has been more or less mixed or corrupted,
but between the most dissimilar branches an evident
sameness of radical words is apparent; and in some very
distant from each other in point of situation, as for instance,
the Philippines and Madagascar, the deviation of wordsi is
scarcely more than is observed in the dialects of neighbouring
provinces of the same kingdom.” *j*
A very different notion on this subject has been maintained
by the able writer of the f History of the Indian Archipelago/
Mr. Crawfurd was far from adopting the notion that all these
insular nations are branches of one original race. He founds
a contrary opinion on an examination of the different dialects
found in the Indian Ocean. It is Mr. Crawfurd’s conclusion,
that “ after abstracting all the additions and modifications
derived from foreign influence, Indian, Arabian, and European,
the idioms of the insular nations of the Indian Archif
pelago admit of separation into two distinct parts. One of
these is the primitive stock of words belonging) to the rude
horde from which each tribe originated:” this is looked upon
by Mr. Crawfurd as the radical portion, of-the language, and
every particular tribe is by- him considered as a distinef race
having an original stock of words of its own, being itself
properly indigenous. The second part of each idiom is supposed
to have been derived from a foreign language spread
by a more civilised people by-means of maritime intercourse
and conquest over the whole Archipelago. This is termed
by Mr. Crawfurd the Great Polynesian language. He is of
opinion that the' class of words derived from the Great Poly*
Asiatic Researches, vpl. x , p. 16(5* f History of Sumatra, p 209.
nesian language are generally such as belong to the first
great steps in the progress of ; civilization, arguing thence
that civilization and improvement emanated from the people
who spoke'it. “ The following,” he says, # may be enumerated
a s examplei j the nàtôef of useful plants and grains,
ëuch as rice* Indian corn, sugar cane, &c,? words connected
with the necessary arts, such as modes of husbandry, weaving;
the names of the useful metals* and df domestic animals.
The wovds iô t ioèc^ng, îhê-sTiuMÎè, the iKtalrp mid the woof,
are, as far as my information extends, the same ih every
language of the Archipelago. Iron and gold are generally
known by the same terms ; but silver and copper, of foreign
introduction, arè usually known by a Sanskrit name. The
domestic animals are commonly known by one general name ;
while the wild ones of the same race, in those countries where
they are indigenous, have a distinct name in eaeh separate
dialect.**'’
Words connected with arts so simple and necessary: as to
imply no invention, but whieh must at onée havé occurred to
the most untutored savages, will be found distinct in each
language. In such arts thé use ofdhë rattan and bamboo, !
the native and abundant ' growth of every country ùf the
Archipelago, is perpetually -implied, - and these plants therefore
retain their primitive names in every separate language*.
0 « One of the'móst striking examples of the influence óf a
general Polynesian language in the Civilisation of the ruder
tribes, may be adduced! from a collation of the numerals of
the different languages. We are not to suppose that even the
rudeSt tribes requited to be taught the rudiments of an aft
which has its ori^n in the Véfÿ; nature of man and language,
but the extension and improvement' of that art may evidently
be traced to one source. The numerals of the more improved
tribes are, with few exceptions, and making proper allowance
for varieties of orthography, the same in all. In all, however,
relics óf an original enunciation may be discovered. In the
less iniprovbd, thèse relics arè cèiiitdefable in the lower part
%f fhèN&Càîé/ ■ In a few, thé Original nùîhérals céotlnùe unaltered
so far, but in the higher all agrée in borrowing from
the same’source,- from the Grèàt Rolyhesian.