Polynesian., 1862-09-27
Ihe polpnesiaM
PoIynesian Languages.

guages, was written by DIR. J. Rae, of Hama, Maui,
author of Political Principles, ETC., etc., and ad-
dressed to Fis Excellency R. C. Wyllie. by whose
permission we now publish it-ED. POLYNEsIAN.
HAMA, MAUI, March, 1862
To HIS Ercellency r. c. Wylie, Esq, &C., Sc, &c.
My DEAR SIR Il wish to give you very brief
sketch of what l have been doing about the Ha-
waan, or, rather. the Polynesian language. in its
connections with language III general and with the
Asio- European languages in particular.
NV motive for this is twO-fold First, know the
subject, as connected with Insular Kingdom, is
of itself of interest to yOu and also that the kindly
feeling YOU have for myself will make you anxious to
know what l have accomplished already, and what
expect or hope to accomplish, in an inquiry, the i'm
portance of which cannot be doubted. The second
is, that it has more than once already happened to
me- TO have reached important and brilliant dlscov-
cries, and that while waiting to follow up their de-
tails, some blast of adverse fortune, huTryng me to
other scenes has prevented my attaining that funess
If proof desired, and have seen what had trea-
sured up taken, it piecemeal. out of my
hands, by those who were more propitiously circum
stanced than l.
The briefness to which must necessarily confne
myself must am aware, prevent you from seizing
altogether my thoughts, but you will be able to
gather something of what 1 believe l have attained
to- and something of what think it, to the least,
very probable, may presently reach; and should
death, o some other mischance overtake me, what
write to You may serve as record OF the things
really done by me in this matter. Without farther
preface | commence
There two inquiries running parallel to each
otheEIand having intimate relations, but which
capable of being separated.
= The first of these is from whence did the Poly
nesan come, and at what period of the worlds
history did they take possession of these islands
The second what is the nature of their language
what ght does it throw the original formation OF
language itself; and what connections has 1t with
other tongues:
AS to the first Asia is the acknowledged great
mother of Nations. Her vast dimensions, her gene
rally warm, yet varied, climate and the original fer
tility Of her soil, yet but partially exhausted,
mark her out such; all recorded history assigns
her this honor chronological inquiries prove 1t. How
many distinct civilizations may have arisen there,
how many may have either partially wholly
dominated over, and nearly, perhaps altogether,
extinguished preceding civilizations, we know not,
nor, at present at least have the means OF knowing
Therei is every reason however TO believe, that they
have been numerous. Everywhere traces of
various races. Many questions here arise l will
only notice lst. What has given rise to the
rious races, and has successiyely enabled one to
dominate over the other: answer. a main cause
has been the progress OF invention. We for instance,
the dominant civilization of the day. may be said to
be steam using people. We have been so for only
half century, yet what superiority has it given, is
it giving and will it give US and how much III
other and still more important inventions do not
come into play) will 1t alone change us IN two or
three centuries: | shall take another example.
What steam is doing to and for u.s. the tanning and
domesticating of sheep, cattle and horses must have
done for those who first subjugated them. We may
see this in North America. The Indians who have
troops of horses essentially different, and Alto
gether superior, to the Indians of two three GEN.
turies snce live in greater comfort, gathered to-
gether in larger bodies and are far more formidable
We the same in Africa, where the black Catfres
and other herdng rise greatly above ha orsi-
nal Negro both bodily and mentally. There are very
many facts going to prove that this a cause
which operated largely in Asia, in founding new
races and enabling them to subdue and extinguish
Others.
This succession of race to seems to have been
one of the main of the progress of mankind
the superior always overcoming the inferior, and
either absorbing eXterminatlng 1t. 1t (the supe-
rior) has then gone on, by its proper force,
gathering powers as 1t advanced, until some in
terna disease attacking 1t, 1t became either station
AIRY retrograded and was in turn subJugated, and
sank under the advance of some people having more
of the elements of vigorous social Life within them*
1t NAV be thought that Asia itself is opposed to
this theory showing in the main, with the exception
of China, only it were the reSidaG OF numerous
peoples powerful ard prosperous, but now pros
trate, mbecie without the energy to advance single
step. In reality 1t is stTlklngly eXemplatlve of It's
correctness Look at the facts: Geographically
we Look on the map, Europe seems, and really is,
but Il part, and a small part, of Asa-a little north
ern NOOK, outSh0tten from that great continent.
Some three or four thousand years since, ances-
tors Celts and Germans, pressed probably by the
redundant population of their native Asiatic seats,
begun to move into this Europe, and take possession
of that hitherto neglected region. Necessity, that
severe but excellent schoOl-mistress, taught them
many things in their northern advance; for, to en-
counter and overcome difficulties gives strength TO
nations as to individuals The sterner the trial the
greater the vgOr Accordingly the farther north the
stronger the men, The northmen, or Normans, have
given Kings and Mobiles to almost all Europe. That
force and strength and vigor of character, which we
thus acuuired now renders US the dominant race of
the whole globe, and as such we are spreading our
selves over all its inviting parts, over Central
Asia among the rest. There seems at present every
probability that in two three centuries, all that
region will be pusseSsed by the Angle Saxon, and
perhaps other European men, the pure blood oecu-
pying the higher, more cool, and healthy parts,
mixed race the lower and hotter portions; and that
the English language, arts and literature, Will be
things giving fashion t. society and oolltera-
ting the ancient FORMS But III doing all this, we
shall only be returning to, and repossesslnS our an
cient seats we shall be but enacting grander
scale one scene of the great drama of human pro-
gress of which many similar have preceded, and
others may possibly follow.
Some such change probably ousht on the
aspect of society in Southern Asia by the domesti-
cation of cattle When these began to multiply and
he collected in herds, would pass with them into
the rich northern pastures. the abode before OF the
wandering hunter. At first they would exist as Sc
parate tribes otherwise there would be strife between
the heIdsmen. to avoid which, in the case of Ab-
raham and Lot one would say the other: " Is not
the whole land before us il thos wilt go to the
right, will go to the left; and if thou prefer the
left will go to the right" But in the course OF
years, cattle and men would multiply, tribes would
become nations-nations battling with each other
for herdsmen naturally. may say necessarily,
the fercest of warriors. Ages of this sort OF lite
would beget numerous, vigorous, and wsriike race
the race is that OF men," The analogy
might carried than Old Homer thought Of Nature
scaers widely Of life and each, whether Of plant or
animal has Those adapted 10 their
posiotha phraseolOgy, the crowd out the
weaker particularly the peeuartes which gave
them their n them and their descendants into
call first variety. and then species which dominates