OCEANIC MIGRATIONS. 127 



The traditions of the natives confirm the opinion here expressed. 

 Mr. Stewart, in his interesting " Visit to the South Seas," (vol. i. p. 

 273,) gives us the belief of the Marquesans concerning the origin of 

 their islands. As this account is derived from Mr. Crook, it belongs 

 in all probability, to the people of the southern cluster. They believe 

 " that the land composing their islands was once located in Havaiki, 

 or the regions below, the place of departed spirits, and that they 

 rose from thence through the efforts of a god beneath them."* 



On the other hand, Captain Porter, in his Voyage to the Pacific, 

 (vol. ii. p. 20), informs us that the natives of Nukuhiva have the 

 tradition that " the first settlers came from Vavao, an island under- 

 neath Nukuhiva." 



The language, so far as our materials enable us to judge, shows 

 traces of a double origin, such as might be inferred from this tradi- 

 tion. The great mass of it is Tahitian, as may be seen in the 

 Comparative Vocabulary. There are, however, several peculiarities 

 in which it differs from this, and approaches that of the Friendly 

 Group to which Vavau belongs. One of the most striking is the 

 omission of the r (or rather I) which is universal in the Marquesan, 

 and frequent in the Tongan, and which is unknown in the other 

 dialects, as 



There are also several words in the Nukuhivan which seem to be 

 of Tongan origin, as 



MARdUESAN. TONGAN. TAHITIAN. 



ohana, . . . oliana, . . . tane, .... husband. 



ofa, .... ofa, .... aroha, . . . love. 



tanoa, . . . tanoa, . . . umete, . . . kava-bowl. 



hiapo, . . . hiabo, . . . ahu, .... native cloth. 



tuhuna, . . . tufuya, . . . tahua, . . . artisan. 



onohuu, . . . otjofulu, . . . ahuru, . . . ten. 



tikau, (Nuk.) . tekau, . . . takau, . . . twenty. 



* In Mr. Crook's Marquesan Dictionary we find the following definition : " Havaiki 

 or Havdii, the regions below, the invisible world ; topa havaii, to plunge into eternity ; 

 ua mate Jiavaii, he is absolutely dead," &c. The omission of the k in these expressions 

 shows that they are to be referred to the southern or Tahuatan cluster. 



