46 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



with the most civihzed nations of southern Asia. We have 

 already noticed the wide distribution of the taya or felted 

 bark-cloth ; the outrigger canoe, so characteristic of the 

 Pacific, is found as far west as the Comoro Group,''' between 

 Africa and Madagascar, where the cocoanut has been long 

 cultivated, and bears the name it is known by in Polynesia. 



Just as we discover amongst the Malay peoples traces of 

 art ruder than those at present in vogue, in eastern Polynesia 

 there is unmistakable evidence of a higher social state. 

 Between the widely-scattered islands a regular intercourse 

 must formerly have been maintained, for in no other way 

 is it possible to account for the extraordinary uniformity of 

 language, arts, customs, and institutions, a uniformity which 

 made Cook, after visiting so many of the groups, and discover- 

 ing the Hawaiian Archipelago, designate all a nation. 



For the maintenance of this intercourse, bespeaking such 

 an amount of labour and great maritime skill, there must 

 have been a sufficient cause — commerce, a central govern- 

 ment, a powerful national religion, or, perhaps, all three 

 combined. 



Between the Polynesian islaiids, so very similar in climate 

 and productions, there was little to beget trade. Though 

 everywhere curious laws were strictly enforced, and a 

 powerful priesthood existed considering the region as a whole, 

 there was no head-quarters of either Church or State. The 

 only explanation, then, that appears reasonable is that the 

 palmy days of Polynesian history were while the inhabitants 

 had access to the outer world, the subsequent decay being due 

 to isolation. The cause of this isolation or when it com- 

 menced cannot be ascertained, but we know from historic 

 sources that Java was colonised from Hindostan during the 

 first century of the Christian era, and that henceforth the 

 Malay Archipelago shared the vicissitudes of the Asiatic 

 mainland — Buddhism, the first-established religion, giving 

 place to Brahminism, which, in its turn, was in most places 

 supplanted by the Mahommedan faith. With these creeds 

 the arts and productions of the continent found their way 

 into the islands. Previous to this the colonisation of eastern 

 Polynesia must have been effected, though possibly the com- 

 plete isolation of the region did not commence until long 

 after. 



When Magellan discovered the Philippine Islands and 

 entered the port of Zebu, in 1521, he found there a Siamese 

 trader. Notwithstanding this proof of the inhabitants being in 

 communication with the great civilized world, they were so 

 far behind the Javanese in art, and had so much in common 



* "The Races of Man." Charles Pickering. 



