THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
117 
guages as a clue to guide us in difcovering the origin of ! 777 - 
January. 
V m "" M — 11 1 
nations, I have no doubt 
inquiry, and when opportunities offer to collect accurately 
a fufficient number of thefe words, and to compare them, 
that all the people from New Holland, Eaftward to E after 
Ifland, have been derived from the fame common root 
* We find Mr. Anderfon’s notions on this fubje£t conformable to thofe of Mr. 
Marfden, who has remarked, w that one general language prevailed (however mutilated 
“ and changed in the courfe of time) throughout all this portion of the world, from 
“ Madagafcar to the moft diftant difcoveries Eaftward ; of which the Malay is a dialect, 
“ much corrupted or refined by a mixture of other tongues. This very extenfive fimi- 
“ larity of language indicates a common origin of the inhabitants ; but the circumftances 
“ and progrefs of their feparation are wrapped in the darkeft veil of obfcurity.” Hiftory 
of Sumatra , p. 35. 
See alfo his very curious paper, read before the Society of Antiquaries, and publiftied 
in their Archteologia, Vol. vi. p. 155 ; where his fentiments on this fubje< 5 t are explained 
more at large, and illuftrated by two Tables of correfponding Words, 
C H A P. 
