THE VARIETY OF NATIVE DIALECTS. 163 



sity in the native dialects, and the general adoption 

 of Malay, existed at least as early as when the Span- 

 iards fii'st navigated these waters, for De Barros says : 

 " Two facts give reason to believe that the inhabit- 

 ants of these islands consist of various and diverse 

 nations. The first is the inconstancy, hatred, and 

 suspicion with which they watch each other ; and 

 the second, the great variety of their languages ; for 

 it is not the same with them and the Bisayans (the 

 inhabitants of Bisaya, one of the Philippines), where 

 one language prevails with all. The variety, on the 

 contrary, is so great that no two places understand 

 each other's tongue. Even the pronunciation diifers 

 widely, for some form their words in the throat, 

 others at the point of the tongue, others between the 

 teeth, and others in the palate. If there be any 

 tongue through which they can understand each 

 other, it is the Malay of Malacca, to which the 

 nobles" (rajahs and capalas) "have lately addicted 

 thcDiselves since the Moors " (Arabs) " have resorted 

 to them for the clove." The Malays and Javanese 

 probaT^ly visited these regions long before the Arabs ; 

 and they, and not the Arabs, were the people who 

 first taught these natives the Malay language. 



From Wakasihu I continued durinor a violent 

 rain-storm along the south coast to Laha at the mouth 

 of the bay of Amboina, detennined to cross the bay 

 and reach home that night, if possible. There were 

 a number of villao-es alonor the route, and at each 

 I had to procure a new relay of coolies. This caused 

 much delay, but a foreigner soon learns that he must 

 have an inexhaustible stock of patience to draw on at 



