80 Origin and Migrations of the Polynesian Nation. 



from the northward, our vessel lost the north-east trade wind as 

 high as the fourteenth degree of north latitude ; and in crossing 

 the Equator from the southward on a subsequent voyane (in 

 September 1833), we experienced a south-westerly gale of several 

 days' continuance, after losing the south-east trade-wind, which 

 carried us as far as the sixth degree of north latitude. Nay, I 

 have been informed by a nautical gentleman of experience that 

 he once encountered a south-westerly gale of twelve days' con- 

 tinuance considerably within the tropics. 



Having thus met and disposed of the preliminary objection as 

 to the alleged impossibility of the Polynesians making their way 

 to the eastward in the face of the easterly trade-winds of both 

 hemispheres, I proceed to observe that the Polynesian race 

 exhibits the clearest evidence of an Asiatic origin, in the follow- 

 ing, as well as in various other particulars : — 



I. Distinction of caste — the most ancient and most remarkable 

 feature of Asiatic society — prevails in certain of the groups of 

 Polynesia ; for in certain other groups it does not exist, for 

 reasons which I have already indicated. In Tahiti, or the Society 

 Islands, it was formerly carried to so ridiculous an extent in the 

 case of the royal family — all the members of which were regarded 

 as sacred in the highest Tahitian sense of the word — that what- 

 ever any of the princes of the blood happened to touch became 

 sacred also. If the king entered a house, the owner had to 

 abandon it forthwith. If he walked on a footpath, it was death 

 for a plebeian to walk on it afterwards. In benevolent considera- 

 tion, therefore, of the welfare and convenience of his subjects, his 

 Tahitian majesty, having no state- carriage, was graciously 

 pleased to be carried on men's shoulders, whenever he wished 

 to see the world, lest he should otherwise consecrate his own 

 highways, and render them unavailable in future for his subjects. 

 In the Friendly Islands the several castes are still better denned ; 

 and as in India the Brahmin, or priestly caste ranks highest, 

 insomuch that the Grand Lama of these islands — the Tooi Tonga, 

 as he is called — takes precedence even of the king. 



The castes in India are : — 



1. The Brahmin, or priestly caste, whose office is to offer 

 sacrifices, to teach the Veda, to offer gifts, and to receive presents. 



2. The Kshutriya, or soldier, caste, whose office is to protect 

 the country and the Brahmins. 



3. The Vishya, or merchant, caste, whose office is to keep cattle, 

 to carry on trade, to cultivate the land. 



4. The Shoodra, or servile, caste, whose office is to serve the 

 Brahmins. And persons of the higher castes mast not communi- 

 cate with the lower in marriage, in eating, or in family friend- 

 ship, on pain of degradation and the loss of all earthly connexions. 



