to the Rarotongans—covers the Fiji, Samoan, and Tonga groups. It is probable that, during this period of 450 years between Vai-takere and Tu-tarangi, that the people had moved on from Indonesia to Fiji, and had occupied part of the latter group. It is obvious from the incidental references in the legends that they were there in considerable numbers at this time, which would lead us to infer that their occupation of that group had already extended over some time. Fornander quotes the year A.D. 76 as corresponding with the commencement of the Malay Empire in the Indian Archipelago, and "then commenced those wars against the Rakshasas, the Polynesio-Cushite pre-Malay inhabitants, which ended in their subjugation, isolation or expulsion throughout the archipelago. Eighty years from that time bring us to the period of Wakea, and the same time possibly brought the Malays from Java and Sumatra, where they first set foot, to Timor, Gilolo and the Philippines."[1] But by the method of computing dates used in this work, Wakea's period would be about the year A.D. 390, and this is probably more reasonable. This intrusive Malay race—if they were Malays, no doubt they were the Malas, &c., referred to by Forlong who began to spread over the Archipelago about B.C. 125—would not probably in eighty years have spread all over the Archipelago in sufficient numbers to have expelled the Polynesians. No doubt there was a time when the two races were in contact, and the Malays learnt from the Polynesians some words of their language, together with some of their customs. On the other hand, it is very probable that part of the Polynesian race never left the Archipelago, and that the Polynesian influences on the Malay language and customs may have been derived from those who remained.
- ↑ Fornander, vol. i, p. 162.
