192 ETHNOGRAPHY. 



emigrants to the Kingsmill Group, and there, perhaps, undergo some 

 farther alteration by a mixture with the Samoan. 



It will be remembered that O'Connell, in speaking of the voluntary 

 emigrations which take place from Banabe (ante, p. 85), observes 

 that those who compose them are mostly of the lower classes, (i. e. the 

 Nigurts, of Papuan origin.) From the superior numbers of the latter, 

 it would probably be the same with a fugitive war-party. In this 

 way we may account for the brownish complexion, midway between 

 the yellow of the Polynesian, and the dusky hue of the Feejeean, 

 which distinguishes the natives of most of the Kingsmill Islands. It 

 is evident, moreover, that in such an emigration, the strict subordina- 

 tion between the higher castes of chiefs and gentry, and their nume- 

 rous serfs, would not be easily maintained. The former would be 

 compelled, either to unite and become confounded with the latter, a 

 measure abhorrent to all their prejudices, or to separate from them 

 entirely. The latter course is certainly that which they would be 

 likely to pursue, if it were possible ; and we may thus account for 

 one cluster of the Kingsmill Islands (that of Makin) being inhabited 

 by people of a lighter hue than the rest, with many customs and 

 traits of character distinguishing them from the southern natives, and 

 assimilating them to the proper Micronesian race. 



It will be observed that some of the words given above, as common 

 to the Vitian and Tarawan, are of Malaisian origin, (though distinct 

 from the Polynesian,) as, ten, younger brother; ara, name ; amu, 

 thy, &c. This is readily accounted for from the mixed nature of the 

 Papuan language, as elsewhere described (p. 184.) In this way, also, 

 are explained some grammatical peculiarities, such as the affixed 

 possessive pronouns common to both, and evidently from the same 

 source; as, 



VITIAN. TAHAWAN. 



tdma, . . . tdma, . . . father. 



tamdygu, . . . tarndu, . . . my father. 



lamdmu, . . . tamamu, . . . thy father. 



tamdna, . , . tamdna, ... his father. 



Of the time which has elapsed since the islands were peopled, we 

 have no means of forming a positive judgment. But from the dis- 

 tinctness with which the native account of this event is detailed, with 

 the paucity of other traditions, and from various concurring circum- 

 stances, it seems probable that the arrival of the first colonists took 



