46 Origin of the Hawaiian Nation. 



volumes, yet they would, one and all of them, bo less conclusive on 

 the point, than the fundamental correspondence, both in the words 

 and in the structure of their languages. AVith but little difficulty, 

 and in some of the instances with none at all, Tahitians, Marque- 

 sans, Samoans, Tongans, New Zealanders, and llawaiians, to say 

 nothing of the less known groups, can render themselves intelligible 

 to each other ; and of this similarity of dialects, the strongest as 

 well as the most gratifying proof is to be found in the fact, that na- 

 tive converts of one Archipelago have sometimes gone forth, as mis- 

 sionaries, to communicate the glad tidings of salvation to another. 

 Thus a chief who accompanied Mr Ellis from Tahiti to the Sand- 

 wich Islands, often addressed the natives with effect ; and Sir Ed- 

 ward Belcher found a little colony of Samoan teachers labouring, or 

 rather wishing to labour, among the savages of the New Hebrides. 

 To offer more specific evidence of the fundamental correspondence in 

 question, the subjoined table is quite decisive, at least with respect 

 to the words ; for the identical meanings of six nearly identical 

 sounds, in three different dialects, cannot possibly be accidental. 



Perhaps a careful examination of different dialects might suggest 

 some hints as to their comparative antiquity. As the general ten- 

 dency of language to become softer by change would derive special 

 force from the feeble and almost childish organs of the race under 

 consideration, any dialect might reasonably be deemed more recent, 

 in proportion as its alphabet and pronunciation might be more meagre 

 and effeminate. Now the common language of the Polynesian Isles 

 appears to have travelled from the west towards the east. Thus the 

 llawaiians, and apparently the Tahitians also, abhor a concourse of 

 consonants, while the New Hebrides have their ICrromanga, the 

 Feejees their Banga, and the Friendly Islands their Tonga, or, to 

 use the better known name, their Tongataboo. If an Hawaiian were 

 desired to pronounce any one of these three words, he would either 

 insert a vowel between the two consonants, or omit the harsher con- 

 sonant; and he would most probably adopt the latter course, just as 

 he would transform England into Enolani. In all probability, Tonga 

 and Tona or Kona^ the name of a district, already mentioned, of 

 Hawaii, are one and the same word ; and, to give an instance of 

 which there can be no doubt, tangata, the Samoan word for ma«, 

 has been softened into the Hawaiian tanata or kanaka. Again, the 

 very name of Samoa, the chief of the Navigator Isles, involves the 

 letter .<?, which the llawaiians, as also I believe the Tahitians, alto- 



