J. T. Thomson. — ()n Barata Nvmierals. 13/5 



Tagala, Papango, and Mindanao, are identical with the Malagas), which \h 

 also the case with the island of Savu, near Timor, and Dory, in Now 

 Guinea. 



What do these facts, as far as they go, tend to prove ? This ; they serve 

 as another proof to the theory that I have already advanced from other data, 

 that one tropical race, a negro one, had in archaic times power and vitality 

 to extend its off-shoots and language from the centre, i.e., Barata (ancient Hin- 

 dostan) westward as far as Madagascar, and eastward as far as Easter Island ; 

 and that the most remote branches of the race should now speak tariguages 

 more similar than those near the centre is consistent with what ethnological 

 inquiry teaches us to have taken place in the Eastern Archipelago, viz., that 

 the languages in that middle distance between the extremes of migration have 

 been affected (though not radically) by the incursions of Arian, Thibetan, 

 and other continental races. 



It will thus be seen that the numerals of one archaic race have extended 

 over 200° of longitude, a distance only surpassed by the transcendent efforts 

 of the modem British, and as the Malay race has come in intimate comparison 

 with their predecessors (the Barata) by their having occupied a portion of the 

 middle distance, viz., between 100'"" and 140'' of longitude, and though limited 

 to 40'^, or one-fifth of the space, yet, it being a very important part, some 

 allusion is necessary to estimate the nature of their connection, if any exists. 

 On reference to the table, it will be seen that of the ten numerals five only of 

 the Malay are similar to the Maori, and six are similar to the Malagasi. This 

 removes the Malay to the same distance from the archaic numerals, as those of 

 the Timor and Arm groups, geographically connected rather with Australia 

 than the Eastern Archipelago ; such being the case the connection is but 

 very distant. 



Some of the ruder tribes, such as those of Xew Caledonia, Malicolo, and 

 Tanna, will be seen to only count as far as five, and this, in prehistoric times, 

 seems also to have been the case with the archaic Malay. Such was his crude 

 advancement in the science of figures; so we may conclude that while the Malay 

 was a rude savage in the int^irior of Sumatra, the Barata race occupied the 

 Malacca Strait — the gate of Africa, India, and Polynesia — and advanced to the 

 height of his power and expansion till the inroads of the Arian and Thibetan 

 extruded him from his peninsular seat and eliminated his race and language 

 from the country of his origin. 



The first six numerals, excepting the third, will be seen to be almost 

 identical in all the races of Madagascar, the Indian Archipelago, and Polynesia. 

 In Malay the numeral three, or tiga, entirely differs from these, and the sixth 

 may have been derived from the Barata term, which has been universally 

 adopted by the adjacent tribes, viz., the Acheens, Lampongs, Battaa, and 



