TUE VARIETY OF NATIVE DIALECTS. 



1G3 



sity in the native dialects, and the general adoption 

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

 iards first navigated these waters, for Be BaiTos says : 

 " Two facts give reason to believe that the inhabit- 

 ants of these islands consist of various and diverse 

 nations. The fii'st 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 

 contraiy, is m great that no two places understand 

 each other*8 tongue. Even the pronunciation differs 

 widely, for some form theii^ words in the throat, 

 others at tlie 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 

 themselves since the Moors" (Arabs) " have resorted 

 to them for the clove." The Malays and Javanese 

 probably visited these regions long before the Arabs; 

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

 first taught these natives the Malay language. 



Prom Wakasihu I continued during a violent 

 rain-stonn along the Routh coast to Laha at the mouth 

 of the bay of Aml-)oina, deteiTuined to cross the bay 

 and reach home that nighty if possible. There were 

 a number of villages along 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 



