The history of the Malayo-Polynesian languages cannot be
complete till we know more of the dialects of other races
spread through the same gr^at region; viz^ t]^os^ of the
Papuas and Haraforas. The Papua dialect^ display some
relations to the Malayan, at least in the numerals, and in a
few words already known; and these relations may be mar©
extensive than it has yet been supposed. The idioms of thp
Haraforas are quite unknown, unless the Australians belong
to them. Haraforan tribes inhabit the northern isles of the
Archipelago, and if the population of these countries #as*
originally derived from Asia, this was perhaps the path of
colonisation. The investigation of their history may hereafter
throw light on that of the Malayo-Polynesian race.
CHAPTER III.
RESEARCHES tïïTfO THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE
MAL A YQ-FOLYNESIAN RACE.
Section I.<—O f the Malayan or mare recent Period in the
History o f this Race,
The history o f those tribes of the Malayo-Polynesian family
who inhabit the islands of the Indian Archipelago and the
peninsula of Malacca divides itself into three periods. The
latest of these may be termed the Mohammedan era, its
commencement being nearly coeval with the introduction of
Islam among the nations of the Archipelago ; the middle
period is that during which Indian culture prevailed in the
Eastern Seas, diffusing a strong tincture of the religion and
language of India ; the earliest period is that which preceded
the introduction of Indian civilisation. \ We shall obtain a
better idea of these three chronological periods by connecting
them with a local or geographical division. The Mohammedan
period is that of Malayan commerce and navigation, a
time during which the manners and the language of the com-
paratively modern Malays was spread by means of traffic, and
by the settlement of trading Colonies prinçipally on the sea»
coasts of the many islands in the Archipelago and of some of
the neighbouring continents. This is the Malayan age. The
period of Indian culture associates itself with J ava, and is the
Javan age : it was in the Island of Java that those colonies
of Brahmans and other Indians were founded, by whose influence
the language and the literature of the Hindoos were
diffused. The earlier period, that of the indigenous cultivation
of language among the different branches of the Malayod
2