14 THE POLYNESIAN WANDERINGS. 



In so far as this element of knowledge impinges upon Melanesian 

 areas we have theories which have been elaborated to account for 

 the recognized inosculation of brown Polynesian and black Melane- 

 sian. Omitting mention, as here unnecessary, of movements of 

 convection within the general migrating mass, we find two main 

 theories ably propounded and stoutly argued. Each will receive 

 our attention to the extent in which it bears upon the phenomena 

 of this inosculation. 



We are first to examine the theory which may be not inaptly 

 designated the sieve theory. In its briefest presentation it is that 

 the islands of Melanesia and the Polynesian verge have served as 

 the meshes of a net to catch the drift of castaways from islands of 

 central Polynesia blown away from home and set to the westward by 

 the concurrence of the prevailing winds and currents of that oceanic 

 area. Its most recent and not the least ingenious presentation is 

 found in the extensive studies of Dr. G. Thilenius,* professor of 

 anthropology and ethnology at Breslau. 



His theory is brilliantly conclusive — upon the hydrographic 

 charts. Taking the eastern islands of Malaysia as a datum-point, 

 he draws the line of least resistance to migrant fleets, the line where 

 the current sets them on their way and where the wind blows fair. 

 On the chart he dots their track far to the north of New Guinea 

 and the Bismarck Archipelago. He gives them successive landfalls 

 in the southern Carolines and along the chains of the Marshalls. 

 Thence onward to the Gilberts the constants of the weather are 

 still in their favor. They make fair weather of it still further to 

 the Tokelaus, and at last they come to port in Samoa. Once 

 established in central Polynesia, the winds and currents which have 

 served them so well become malefic. They blow boats away from 

 peaceful shores and out for starving, thirsty voyages upon unfriendly 

 seas. If the Melanesian sieve catches any of these involuntary 

 wanderers their fate is that of the castaway upon inhospitable shores 

 of savagery. In the work cited it is very argutely presented, yet 

 it can scarcely be called convincing. 



No one who has had occasion to recognize that the work of the 

 real Polynesian research is being to-day, as always, painfully prose- 

 cuted by enthusiastic workers in remote islands of the sea, where 

 one book is a treasure indeed and library privileges seem no more 

 substantial than the seraphic and impossible vision, will regret the 

 space here given to a presentation of the arguments of Dr. Thilenius. 

 Thus only will they reach earnest students in savage scenes who 

 could never have access to the rare and costly work in which these 

 arguments are presented. We acknowledge the pleasure in helping 

 these distant students, for they are the real workers. 



*Ethnographische Ergebnisse aus Melanesien: Die polynesischen Inseln an der Ost- 

 grenze Melanesiens. 



