OCEANIC MIGRATIONS. 179 



or Viti and Tonga* After several generations, the blacks (or Viti), 

 jealous of the increasing wealth and power of their less barbarous 

 neighbors, rise upon, and partly by treachery, partly by superior 

 numbers, succeed in overpowering them. Those of the Tonga who 

 are not made prisoners, launch their canoes, and betake themselves to 

 sea, after the usual custom of vanquished tribes. In this way they 

 reach the islands of the Friendly Group, which receive from them 

 the name of Tonga, the largest (the "great land") being distinguished 

 by the epithet tabu, or sacred. The trade-wind blows directly from 

 this group towards Viti, and the natives of the latter group never visit 

 the Friendly Islands, except in Tonga canoes, by which alone the 

 intercourse between the two is maintained. The consequences of 

 this course of events would be as follows : 



1. During the residence of the two races on the same group, the 

 close connexion which would necessarily exist between them could 

 riot fail to have some influence on the language of each ; of which we 

 see the traces in the Tongan dialect. 



2. It is not to be supposed that all, or even the greater part of the 

 Tonga people would be able to make their escape. Those who 

 remained would be reduced to captivity, and the women would 

 become the wives of the conquerors. The result would be a people 

 of mixed race and language, in both of which the Melanesian element 

 would predominate. Such are the Feejeeans at this day. 



3. The words viti (or fiti) and tonga would no longer be applicable 

 as regards their signification of east and west. One of two results 

 would necessarily follow. Either the words would cease to be 

 employed to distinguish the two tribes, or they would lose their 

 proper and original meaning, and become mere appellatives. The 

 latter, as might be expected, has occurred. The two words are 

 unknown in the Vitian and Tongan languages, except as the names 

 of the groups.f 



4. The Samoan people are so near the others, and maintain so con- 

 stant a communication with them, that the same result must necessa- 

 rily follow in their dialect, as we find to be the case. Fiti and Tonga 

 are used in it only as proper names. But it is deserving of remark, 



* So in the English Heptarchy, Essex and Wessex, Norfolk and Suffolk. It is worthy 

 of remark that, at the present day, the western coast of Viti-levu is known by the general 

 name of Ra, a word which properly means below, and hence (like the Polynesian lalo) 

 leeward and westward. 



f The word Norman is a striking example of a similar change of meaning. 



