137. Extract of a letter from Mr. Crawford. 



is to Europe, or English lo North America, or Spanish toSouih. 



< But the most elaborate part of my performance will be a dis- 

 sertation on the affinities of all the languages (about 100) which 

 extend from Madagascar to the West Coast of America, and from 

 New Zealand to the Sandwbicb Islands. 



< More or less of the Malay language has spread (o all the 

 countries within the vaste scope of my inquiry. I find for ex- 

 ample 400 in the New Zealand, and 150 in the Madagascar. 



« This has been long known, and English, French, and Ger- 

 mans have written about it. The late Baron Humboldt who 

 was ambassador at our Court, and afterwards Prime Minister ol 

 Prussia wrote four Qnartoes on the subject, which are in my 

 possession. 



» And now I come to the point. How did the Malay words 

 from Sumatra find their way to Madagascar? My noiion i< b\ 

 tempest driven Proas, carried fonh by the Monsoon, and I linn 

 by the Trade Wind over 3,000 miles of Ocean. 



t If the Newspapers be right several Malay Proas have since 

 our conquest «f the Mauritius in 1810 been drifted on the shores 

 of Madagascar with living human beings in them, and there are 

 accounts of these strange wrecks in the Mauritius Records. Now 

 I want an Authentic statement of these adventures the year and 

 day ofanival, the number of living beings in each boat, whe- 

 ther any women for multiplication, and from what coast 

 driven. J beg you to observe that this is a portion of the Bis- 

 tory of mankind, tbe manner they were dispersed, involved 

 in this question. > 



Answer to Mr. Crawford's Letter. 



The Committee named by tbe Royal Society of Arts and 

 Sciences, consisting of Mr. W. Bojer, Vice-President, Mr. 

 L. Bouton, Secretary, and Mr. J. Morris, Vice-Secretary, 



