DIALECTS OF THE MELANESIAN TRIBES. 39 



men remembered any af the words of their fast-disappearing 

 language. ( % ) 



These I have shewn to several Malays who know their own 

 language well. All declare that they are not Malay words ; 

 I, myself, am incompetent to decide this question, and, I should 

 like therefore, to hear your opinion, as this may be of great im- 

 portance in its bearing* upon the question of the origin of these 

 vanishing tribes. 



Purely anthropological observations and considerations lead 

 me to accept the supposition of a Melanesian element (a rem- 

 nant of the original race) which, through intermixture with the 

 Malays, is being more and more supplanted. 



Three words in this Vocabulary (3) I find similar to three in my 

 notices of the Papuan dialects, Dak (Sea), Koi (Head), Tal (Hut). 



This similarity struck me as curious but I must point 

 out clearly that from this circumstance no further positive con- 

 clusion can be drawn. 



If the old language be not quite forgotten or lost, we 

 have to thank a superstition which has favored its reten- 

 tion. A belief prevails that people who visit the camphor 

 trees in the jungle in on the search for camphor, must always 

 use the old tongue if they are to be successful in their 

 search. If they speak Malay, the tree will either disappear 

 before their eyes, or their eyes, will become incapable of seeing the 

 it. For this reason the dialect is also called the " Bhasa 

 Kapor" or the " Camphor language !" Some of the Malays who 

 live in the jungle, endeavour on account of this superstition to 

 learn the " Camphor language.* 



It it not difficult to explain how this superstition arose. It 

 is certain that the old stock of the race, who lived a roving lite 

 in the jungle, were peculiarly qualified to appropriate the jungle 

 produce. Later on, when the primitive race mingled with the 



2 Thus for example, the numerals of the langage of the Orang Rayet of 

 Palong (tributary of the River Moar) were only known by one very oJd 

 man, and by him only up to 4 ; none of his tribe companions knew 

 even these. The old man further explained that in earlier days he knew 

 the other Numerals also, but he had now forgotten them. Most of the 

 young people satisfied themselves with the declaration that " the elders 

 knew the old tongues, but they only spoke Malay." 



3 Dik, used to express " Sea" by the Papuans of Mt. Limai in the island 

 of Lucon which I visited in 1873. 



Koi and Ooi meaning" head," also in use among the Papuans of Mt. 

 Limai. 



Tal' — " House," used by the Papuans of the Maclay-Coast in New-Guinea. 



* [Mr. Logan also refers to the " Camphor Language" in his description 

 of these Tribes (I. A. Journal vol.1, p. 263), but his account of the mat- 

 ter is a little different, and suggests a comparison with the " Krama, " 

 or ceremonial language of Java. He says : 



