TOFRANCIS MARKOE, Jr., Esq.,CORRESPONDING SECRETARY TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE,WASHINGTON.My Dear Sir,I BEG to submit to the National Institute, some observations upon the ethnography of Northern and Central Africa, and upon the means which that continent itself possesses, for the suppression of the Atlantic slave trade.

"Africa,--torrid, pestilential, savage, mysterious--reserved and guarded by the most terrible and resistless influences of nature, as the unconquered, uninvaded home of a peculiar and degraded race--the 'white man's grave,' the fatal road on which European enterprise in conquest, colonization, exploration, art, science, philanthropy and religion, has for five hundred years cast away thousands of noble wrecks."

"As early as 1831, I began to regard Africa 00032with much interest; as, possibly, one of my fields of enterprise. Every thing relating to that subject, thenceforth, acquired a peculiar value to my mind. All books of travels, maps, scientific and medical works, that could give me any new ideas of Africa, were carefully sought and read, and faithfully studied."

Such is the view of Atlantic and Central Africa, presented by this extract, from the first part of a remarkable book which is now being published here, entitled, "Wanderings on the Seas and Shores of Africa," by Dr. D. Francis Bacon. Such, too, is the sentiment of the philosophic Heeren, who says that "geheimnissvoll dunkel,"--mysterious darkness, has ever, from the earliest ages, opposed the curiosity of man, to investigate the condition of this continent.

The ethnographic portion of Dr. Bacon's work will be contained in the future numbers of his serial. Meanwhile, I propose, by anticipation, to submit to the National Institute, some remarks upon that widely spread people of Soudan, or Central Africa, calledFoulahs or Fellatahs.

Throughout the whole extent of Nigritia or Negro-land, the Foulahs undoubtedly occupy preeminence. They are found spread over a vast geographic region of 28 to 30 degrees in longitude, 1500 miles--and of 7 to 10 in latitude, or 500 miles.

They extend from the Atlantic ocean, from the mouth of the Senegal and Senegambia on the west, to the kingdoms of Bornou and Mandara on the east; from the desert of Sahara on the north, to the mountains of Guinea or Kong, on the south. This wide superficies contains more than 700,000 square miles, which is equal to the fourth part of Europe, and a tenth part of the immense continent of Africa. Compared with the United States, these parallels of longitude, would extend from Maine to Missouri. What may be the Foulah population spread over this region, it is impossible to approximate. But the low estimate of these inhabitants to the square mile, would give a population of two millions.

In the wide extent of this vast region, they are found under the various but similar names of Fellans, Felany, Foulah, Foulany, Fallatah, Fellatiyah and Peuls. By linguistic analogies, it was discovered by Adelung, the German philologer, that these widely separated tribes were one people; as Marsden discovered, by comparative vocabularies, that the Berber language prevailed from the Canary Islands Morocco, to the Oases bordering on Egypt. In Senegambia and the mountains of Sierra Leone, the Foulahs have formed four principal states called Fouta-Toro, Fouta-Bondou, Fouta-Djallon and Fouladon. These states are governed by an elective chief, called Almany-(el-Imam.) He may be termed the President of an oligarchic council. In other negro countries where these nomadic tribes 00054have introduced themselves, they pay tribute to the chiefs of the country, for the lands which they occupy, under a certain feudal dependence. In this political relation, they are found on all the Atlantic coast, from the river Sierra Leone--along the Grain, Ivory, and Gold Coasts--to the Niger. On the Senegal, they are found among the Serracolets or Serreres, and eastward to Massina. At Jenneh, Caillé discovered that they had seized the power of the state, and were defending themselves against the Sergoo Tuarycks to the North, and the Bambarra negroes to the South. On the western coast, they thus live mingled with the Ialoofs, Mandingoes, and Sousous. On the Niger and in Soudan, they occupy or have conquered, the kingdoms of Yarriba, Nuffee, Haoussa, and others. There is an immense country, yet unexplored by the white man, eight hundred miles in extent, between Bambarra on the West, and Yarriba on the East, and lying in the rear of the Grain and Ivory coast. This unknown land is supposed to be occupied by Foulahs. Such is the geographic distension of this singular race.

The Foulahs are not negroes. They differ essentially from the negro race, in all the characteristic which are marked by physical anthropology. They may be said to occupy the intermediate space betwixt the Arab and the Negro. All travellers concur in representing them as distinct race, in moral as in physical traits. To their colour, the various terms of bronze, copper, reddish, 00065and sometimes white, has been applied. They concur also in the report, that the Foulahs of every region represent themselves to be white men, and proudly assert their superiority to the black tribes, among whom they live. Mungo Park's description of them, does not vary much from that of all subsequent travellers, and which is substantially repeated in Schon and Crowther's journal of the Niger expedition made in 1841, in the British government steamer the "Albert." He says, "the Foulahs are chiefly of a tawny complexion, "with silky hair and pleasing feathers." The authority of Mr. D'Averzac of Paris, is among the highest, as I conceive upon all African subjects. In his "Esquisse generale de l' Afrique," he says of the Foulahs:--

"In the midst of the negro races, there stands out a metive popualtion, of tawny or copper colour, prominent nose, small mouth and oval face, which ranks itself among the white races, and asserts itself to be descended from Arab fathers, and taurodo mothers. Their crisped hair, and even woolly though long, justifies their classification among the oulotric (woolly haired) populations; but neither the traits of their features, nor the colour of their skin, allow them to be confounded with negroes, however great the fusion of the two types may be."

In the Mithridates of Adelung and Vater, the opinion is expressed that the Foulahs belong to a middle race, between the negro proper, and the African white race--"einer Mittelgattung zwis- 00076chen den eigentlichen Negern, und den Afrika-nischen weissen." They consider themselves better than the native negroes, and always rank themselves among the white nations.

The Foulahs are a warlike race of shepherds, and within this century they have established a political organization; subjugated a large portion of Soudan; and founded Sakatoo, the capital of their empire. Clapperton says that this town, which was built in 1805, by Danfodio the prophet, and the first political and military chief of the Foulahs, was the most populous which he had seen in Cenmral Africa. At the period of his visit, the Sultan was Bello, or according to Mr. D'Avezac's correct orthography, Mahommed B'Ellah He aslo writes Danfodio, Otsman dzon-el -Nafad-hiyah, or Otsman the destroyer. The Foulahs are rigid Mohammedans, and according to Mollien, the French traveller's report, they are animated by a strong zeal for proselytism. They are the missionaries of Islam, among the pagan negro tribes. Where they have conquered, they have forced the adoption of the Koran, by the sword; and whilst pursuing quietly their pastoral occupations, they become scholmasters, maalims-- and thus propagate the doctrines and precepts of Islam. Whereever the Foulah has wandered, the pagan idolatry of the negro has been overthrown; the barbarous Fetish and greegree have been abandoned; anthropophagy and cannibalism have been suppressed; and the horrible sacrifice of human beings, to propitate the monstrous gods of the negro barbarian, 00087has been supplanted, by the worship of the true God. Rev. Mr. Schon, who accompanied the British expedition to the Niger or Quorra, in 1841, says, that "the people of Iddah,"--a negro town on that river, south of the country inhabited by the Foulahs--"are Pagans. No mixture of Mohammedanism, is observable in their customs. They showed me their gods. Under a small shade, erected before almost every house, were broken pots, pieces of yams, feathers of fowls, horns of animals, broken bows and arrows, knives ans spears. Such were their gods! They denied ever having sacrificed human beings, which I could hardly credit."

Thus, the Foulahs are now exercising a powerful influence upon the moral and social condition of Central Africa. I do not doubt, that they destined to be the great instrument in the future civilization of Africa, and the consequent suppression of the external Atlantic slave trade. Some years ago, whilst residing at Algiers, and before the solution of the great geographic problem by Lander--the course and termination of the mysterious Niger--I was attracted by the moral superiority of the Foulahs or Fellatahs. In a paper which I then published, a resume' of which may be found in the Encyclopoedia Americana, sub voce, I then said:--"This nation presents itself as a curious and important subject of philosophic speculation. The Fellatahs will probably erect one vast empire in Soudan, and the influence which that power may exert in the great question of 00098African civilization, gives to them no ordinary importance. If Sultan Bello should be induced to abolish the slave trade, the most efficient means will have been discovered for its entire suppression. The example of so great an empire, or the menace of its chief, would effectually check the inhuman cupidity or barbarism, of the lesser tribes of the coast. Such an event would cause a great revolution in the commerce of those countries, and the arts of civilized life would, in consequence, be speedily adopted.

I shall not dissemble the satisfaction which I draw from the support and corroboration of these sentiments, so early expressed, by the journals and reports of the several expeditions which have since been made. Since that period, the Brothers, Lander, have discovered the course and termination of the Niger or Quorra. In the years 1833 and '34, an expedition was sent by the British government, into the "interior of Africa, by the river Niger," of which the narrative has been published by Laird and Oldfield. This expedition was made in the steam-vessel the " Alburkah," (El-Berakeh, i.e. blessing.) In 1841, another similar expedition, in the steam-vessel the "Albert," was made up the Niger, under the auspices of Her Britannic Majesty's government. The narrative of this last expedition, presents the most recent account which we have, of the condition of the countries and tribes bordering on the Niger. It was written by the Rev. Mr. Schon, and Mr. Samuel Crowther. From that journal I extract the following remarks, 00109which show the predominant influence of the Fellatahs, upon the moral and social condition of Central Africa.

The slave vender told us that all of the slaves would have to be sent to Rabba, the principal slave market, at present, in the interior of Africa. He replied, that he could make no objection to all I had said, but still, that the slave trade was not against the laws of this country, and of their king; that if the king of Rabba, (Sumo Sariki,) would make a law against the slave trade, the people in general would willingly give it up. To gain over the Fellatahs to the Abolition party, is certainly the most desirable thing; as there the axe would be laid to the root of the slave trade. Whilst at Atsarah, a town two miles distant from the model farms, established by the commissioners, Mr. Schon remarks:--"I learned that the law relative to the abolition of slavery, (the slave trade,) had been duly published by the Attah, and that all the inhabitants of the village approved of it, as a good law. They confirmed what has been so often stated, that the slave trade would not cease, until the Fellatahs were gained over to the slave trade abolition party. Speaking of the Nufee country, which is governed by two chiefs, Ezu-Issa and Mamajia, (Maalim Majia,) he says, when I asked the people whether Mamajia sold many slaves, they all burst out laughing, and said, how can he sell slaves, being a slave himself to the Fellatahs. Lander says the destiny of Nouffie 001110is already sealed, she is a conquered country in every sense of the word, and a Falatah is her monarch.

Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, in his "Remedy for the African Slave Trade, appreciates the great importance of the Fellatahs, in accomplishing this great object of philanthrophy. I concur with this eminent man, in his philosophic exposition of the causes and remedy of the Atlantic slave trade; and in pointing out one of the most efficient means which Africa holds within her own bosom, for the suppression of this nefarious commerce, I am impelled by the sentiments which I have found in the wisdom and benevolence of our own legislation. It is a proud reflection for these United States, that they were the first among the nations of the Earth, to denounce this trade as piracy. Nor will the effort to suppress the slave trade, by operating upon the mind of Africa, and substituting a legitimate commerce, which addresses to the interests of the African, be deemed adverse to the treaty engagements of this government, in the fulfilment of which, our powerful squadron is now nobly and actively employed.

Sir T. Fowell Buxton says, "I shall endeavor to show, that with respect to the two most powerful potentates of Central Africa, the Sheickh of Bornou, and the sultan of the Fellatahs, there is some reason for supposing that we need not despair of their cooperation." "Captain Clapperton visited Bello, the powerful Sultan of the Fellatahs, in 1823, at Sackatoo. He assured 001211"Clapperton, that he was able to put an effectual stop to the slave trade, and expressed, with much earnestness of manner, his anxiety to enter into permanent relations of trade and friendship, with England. At the close of Clapperton's visit, Bello gave him a letter to the King of England, to the same purport as the conversation which had taken place between them. These offers on the part of the Sultan of the Fellatahs, must be held to be of great importance. He is the chief of a warlike enterprising people, who have extended their sway, over many nations and tribes around them; and who, from the testimony of recent travellers, are actively employed in carrying on war with their neighbors, to supply the demands of the slave trade." We learn from the most recent expedition to the Niger, that the great Sultan Bello is deceased, and has been succeeded by his son, Alilu.

Mr. Bandinel of the Foreign Officer, Downing-street, in his historical review of the slave trade, published last year, says that "agreements stipulating the entire suppression of the slave trade, on the part of African Chiefs, and on that of their subjects, have been already concluded with several of the most influential chiefs, viz., those of the river Bonny, the chiefs of the river Cameroons; the King of Cartebar on the Gambia; the chiefs of Timmanees; King of Aboi or Ybo; and the King of Egarra at Idda." With these agreements among the Chiefs, at the mouths of the Quorra, a Treaty with Alilu, the Sultan of the Fellatahs at Sackatoo, 001312would powerfully concur; and thus, along the whole course of this central river, the natives themselves would effect the change of a nefarious, for a legitimate and humanizing commerce.

The great element to which we look, as the most powerful agent in civilizing Africa, is Christianity. It is apparent, from the history off the most renowned states of antiquity, and of those now existing under other religious systems, that civilization cannot advance beyond a certain limit, without Christianity. The highest civilization seems to be a necessary result of Christianity. "I confess," says Burke, "I trust more, according to the sound principles of those who have, at any time, ameliorated the state of mankind, to the effect and influence of religion, than to all the rest of the regulations put together." And Sir T. Fowell Buxton is persuaded, that the "Gospel ever has been, and "ever must be, the grand civilizer of mankind."

Among the efforts that have been made to introduce Christianity into Africa, by the various societies of Christians, the Wesleyan Mission from England to the Foulahs, occupies a prominent place. It is noticed here, in immediate connexion with that people. As early as the year 1795, the venerable Bishop Coke, originated a plan for the benefit and instruction of the Foulahs, in which Mr. Wilberforce took a lively interest. Macarthy's Island in the Gambia, was chosen as the station of this mission. In 1835, this subject acquired renewed interest, and among the Wesleyans, a few benevolent individuals 001413among whom Dr. Lindoe of Southampton, stands first and conspicuous, for his munificence, adopted measures of more extensive operation for the benefit of the Foulahs. The Rev. Mr. Macbrair's Sketches of a Missionary's Travels," is one of the results of this benevolent enterprise; and the Rev. Mr. Thompson's residence at Timboo, the great capital of the western Foulahs, it may be expected, will furnish the world with additional knowledge of this interesting people.

A few extracts from the instructions given to their missionary, will illustrate the views of the Wesleyan Society.

"The mission at Macarthy's island upon the Gambia, although contiguous to the Mandingoes, has been founded for the benefit of the Foulahs, primarily, and ultimately, of the other tribes and nations of West Africa. The plan of translating the scriptures into one or more principal African languages, is an enlargement of the original design of the Foulah mission. On the subject of the language to be commenced with--whether you should apply yourself first to the Foulah or the Mandingo--it is not easy to decide, until further investigation be made." Mr. Macbriar adopted the latter language. Had he selected the Foulah, the gospel would now have been published in the predominant language of Central Africa, for the benefit of 2,000,000 of people--a conquering race of preeminent intellectual and moral qualities. Thus too, the great desideratum to the scientific world, which will be noticed in the conclusion of this paper--the materials 001514for investigating the Foulah language--would have been furnished. These materials, I hope may yet be furnished from this side of the Atlantic.

In Central Africa, education and religious instruction are entirely in the hands of the Mohammedans. The Koran has introduced its letters, where it has been adopted, as the Bible from Rome, has substituted its letters, for the alphabets of Europe. Let not the humanizing influence of the Koran, upon the fetishes, greegrees, and human sacrifices of pagan, homicidal Africa, be depreciated. It will bring up the civilization of the barbarous negro races to a certain degree of civilization, and thus it will concur with Christianity, which is now invading Africa from the West, in suppressing their inhuman practices and superstitions.

In Africa--in the land of the degraded negro--the gospel now stands face to face with the Koran. There the two confluent tides of religious instruction, from the West and the East, meet. From the Senegambia to the Equator, along this vast extent of coast, Christianity has her stations; and she opposes by her Book, the further advance of the Moslem's Book. The colony of Liberia is an advanced post of Christianity. The Arabic Bible is eagerly sought, and gratefully received by the tribes; and it has even been brought to the Western coast, by merchants and pilgrims from Egypt, across the whole breadth of that continent. Let, therefore, the gospel be disseminated in Arabic 001615characters, into whatever languages the pious zeal of missionaries may be able to translate it, since Arabic letters have, for centuries, been introduced into Africa, and have become familiarized by use.

To a certain extent, the Mohammedans go along with us. Their civil code, contained in the Koran, forbids the enslaving of a man born of free parents, and professing the Musselman religion; nor can a Mussulman be reduced to slavery, in any case. The Fellatahs have practised successfully upon this article of the Islamic code, for political objects. In their invasions of negro states, they have invariably made this appeal to the Pagan slaves; and in countries where three-fifths of the population are of that class, it may be inferred, that numerous converts are made, and conquests thus made easy. "There are points", says "Mr. Buxton, in the Mohammedan faith, which we may turn to account, in attempting to introduce better instruction. The Mussulmans of the West, do not regard Christians with the same horror as those of the East; they seem to be favorably impressed, by finding that we acknowledge much of their own scared history: and with them, the names of Abraham and Moses, serve to recommend our holy books." "We may make common cause also with them, in Africa, in our common abhorrence of the bloody rites and sacrifices of the Pagans."

The political importance of the Foulahs being thus stated, science now demands to know, who 001716the Foulahs are and whence descended. Are they Autochthones, aborigines of the country where they reside, or are they immigrants? As with the Berbers of North Africa, they posses no records or letters, save those brought to them by their Mohammedan teachers; and in both cases, their traditions are too vague and uncertain, for the exacting spirit of modern science. In the absence of historic records, the affiliations of agrammatic or unlettered race of men, must be traced by the indications of language, which the philosophic Herder terms,--das ewige band der menschen--the eternal band of men. Comparative philology is the modern science, which chiefly guides the classification of tribes and nations, and which illustrates their early history, their habitats and migrations. To this may be added a still more recent science, that of craniology, and considering the extent and perfection of his labors, it may be said to be almost appropriated, after Blumenbach and Pritchard, by Dr. Samuel George Morton of Philadelphia. The classification of African races will be materially assisted by the publication of his Crania Egyptiaca and Africana, which are now in course of preparation.

The late celebrated geographer, Major Rennell, in his appendix to Park's Travels, asserts the opinion that the Foulahs "appear, clearly, to "be the Leucoethiopes of Ptolemy and Pliny." The Rev. Mr. Macbrair, Wesleyan missionary to the Gambia, and whose recent work is the latest book of travels among the Foulahs of Western Africa, 001817entirely adopts this opinion of Major Rennell. He says, "they are, doubtless, the Leucoethiopes "of Ptolemy and Pliny." They are certainly white Ethiopians or negroes, compared with the Soudanic tribes surrounding them; but I would rather suppose, that the Greek and Roman geographers spoke of some other people, even of Albinos, as has been suggested. Ptolemy and Pliny wrote from report, and had not seen that part of Africa which the Foulahs occupy. I have referred to a better authority, Leo Africans, (El-Hhassan of Grenada,) who was expelled with the Moors from Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella, and who twice visited Soudan. To my surprise, I have not been able to find any indications of the Foulahs in the work of this truthful traveller and sagacious observer. He draws the marked distinction betwixt the "Nigritae" and the "gentes subfusci coloris," or the negroes and the races of tanned color. He says, "I have seen fifteen kingdoms of negroes-Nigritarum regna--which, Commencing at the west and going eastward, are Gualata, Ginea, Melli, Tombutu, Gago, Guber, Agades, Cano, Casena, Zegzega, Zanfara, Guangara, Burnu, Gaoga and Nuba." Modern geography corroborates the truth of this narration, made three hundred years ago. "To the south," he adds, "there are many other kingdoms, as "Bitos, Tenuamia, Dauma, Medera and Gorania."

The races of tawny or tanned color, he says, are called Berbers- subfusci coloris incoloe, appellati 001918sunt Barbar. Thus, he asserts that there are but two races of people in Africa, Negroes and Berbers, which is the division of the Greek historians--Libyans and Ethiopians. This, I should have said were the two divisions, had I not found among the negroes, this mixed, metive, mezzo-termino race, the Foulahs. It must be supposed, that they existed in Soudan when Leo was there; and I cannot reconcile it with his usual sagacity and discrimination, that he did not discover or mention them.

The history of the Berbers or Libyana, is yet to be investigated and written. I yet maintain the opinion advanced some years ago, that these people were the terroegeniti--the aboriginal inhabitants of Egypt, prior to the historic or monumental aera, and before the Mizraimites and their descendants the Copts; and I anticipate this result from the physical researches of Dr. Morton. This opinion does not conflict with the historic deductions of the learned and ingenious Hierologist, Mr. George Gliddon, whose lectures on the Antiquities and Literature of Egypt, have received the general applause.

From the investigation of the Foulah language alone, from linguistic evidences, can we hope to trace the origin of this singular people. The following extracts are from Macbrair relating to the Foulah idiom of speech. "The Foola language is very peculiar in its structure and pronunciation; which in some measure, resemble the kaffer of Southern Africa. These are the only two languages 002019yet known, which have the remarkable euphonic accent, or grammatical change of initial letters. Some particulars of this idiom, infer a high state of civilization, and probably also of literary attainments. We understand that the kaffer clicks are borrowed from the Hottentots, and that the natives of the interior do not employ them, but use a hiatus in their stead. Such a hiatus is found in the Foola tongue, and forms a necessary part of the language, since some modes of construction entirely depend upon its employment. Now as the Foolas and Kaffers resemble each other in many of their habits and customs, as well as in their form and manners, the identity of origin in the two families, may easily be surmised. It is probable, that some tribes of the interior were driven southwards until passing the fiery region of the Equator, they settled among the mountains of Kaffraria." This probability is called a "neat conjecture" by the "Christian traveller in Western Africa," a work contemporary with Mr. Macbrair's "Sketches." If there be no other analogies between the Kaffer and Foulah languages than that indicated, the identity must be very doubtful. Mr. Macbrair continues, "we feel disposed to ascribe an Asiatic origin to the Foolas, according to their own constant traditions; especially as they are altogether diverse from the regular descendants of Ham. We have remarked that many of their words strikingly resemble the Carthaginian names of Hannibal, Hamilcar, Asdoubal, &c., 002120being of three syllables, with the middle one short, and terminating in similar sounds; so that we are inclined to view this tribe as springing from the ancient Phenicians." According to this supposition, by syllogism or theorem, the Kaffers are descended from the Phenicians--an inference which the rigid laws of comparative philology will not admit. The Asiatic or Malay origin of the Foulahs is, however, maintained by the elaborate memoir of Mr. Gustave D'Eichthal of Paris.

In the transactions of the Ethnologic Society of Paris, Mr. Gustave D'Eichthal, banker in that capital, has published a very learned and elaborate memoir upon the Foulahs, entitled, "Histoire et "origine de Foulahs, ou Fellans." This memoir comprises 300 pages, and the author consults all authorities from the earliest book of travels to the latest period, with the exception, I believe, of Schon's journal of the last Niger expedition and Macbrair's Sketches, which I have cited. The object of this work is to prove the Malay origin of the Foulah language, and to this result the learned author is led by comparative philology. He collated the words of all vocabularies of this idiom, heretofore furnished by travellers, and by this process, he arrives at the conclusion, that the Foulahs belong to the Malayan group, or family of nations.

The best exposition of Mr. D'Eichthal's views, may be presented in his own words:--"The discoveries "of Sectzen, Lyon, Clapperton and Lander, 002221in the first third of this century, have made known to us, that this same people (Foulahs,) is found spread out in Soudan, and in all the basin of the Niger, to within a short distance of its mouth; that they had founded a great empire in that region, whilst propagating Islamism; and that they seemed destined to exercise a mighty influence upon the future destiny of that portion of Africa.

In the ethnologic point of view, this people presents characteristics not less remarkable. All who have made observations upon them, concur in acknowledging, that they differ essentially from the negroes, physically and morally, and if they have not ventured to recognize in them, a race distinct from the negro, they have, at least, regarded them as a variety, altogether special of that race. The Fellans or Foulahs, have, however a tradition among themselves, which affiliates them to the white race.

Investigating the origin of this people from these indications, I have succeeded in establishing a similarity between a certain number of words, corresponding in their languages, with those of the family of languages in the Indian Archipelago. Since, moreover, what we know of the history of the Malayan races, perfectly explains the presence of one of these races in Africa, I have thought myself authorized to reunite this evidently extra-African race of Fellans, to the Malayan family. Some of the facts which I have presented may be called in question, but 002322I do not think, that the result itself, can be doubted.

These researches have led me to study one of the most important points of human history, and which, until very lately, was the most obscure--the development of the Polynesian races. By the recent testimony of travellers, and particularly of Moerenhout: it appears that Polynesia was the cradle of a primitive civilization, which has exercised a certain influence, even upon Asia. "However this may be, it is certain, that the march of migrations and of civilization, in that insular world, has been from East to West, and not from West to East, as was believed, until a few years past. The testimony of Ellis, Moerenhout and of Urville, and of all who have studied that region, can leave no doubt upon this important question."

Such is Mr. D'Eichthal's own views of the very curious and important results at which he has arrived. Dr. Pritchard of Bristol, has thus stated his opinion of those results in his "Natural History of Man":--"The subject well deserves a careful consideration; and the supposition of Mr. D'Eichthal, though at first sight, it appears improbable, especially if we take into account, the distant period from which the Foulahs are known in Africa, and the difference of physical characters and manners, yet ought not to be dismissed without careful investigation. If sufficient means were accessible, for acquiring a complete knowledge of the Foulah speech, this question 002423could be speedily elucidated. The instances of resemblance in these languages, as yet discovered by the ingenious author of the Essay, are so few and so remote, that it appears to me very doubtful, whether any conclusion whatever, can be founded upon them. With all deference that is due, to so able and ingenious a writer, as Mr. D'Eichthal is well known to be, I am still of opinion, that the Foulahs are a genuine African race."

The affinities which Mr. D'Eichthal's comparative tables present, are some of them very striking; but I hesitate, at the adoption of the identity of the Foulah and Malay languages. My own opinion is, that sufficient materials do not yet exist, for the proper investigation of the Foulah tongue. Our vocabularies are very limited, and nothing is known of the structure of the language. It is this grammatical idiosyncrasy, which is now required by comparative philology. This science has made great advances, and in the study of anthropology, it demands the internal structure of language. Comparative grammars are more important, than comparative vocabularies, to the study of ethnology. The affinity of languages, with like radicals and different syntax, is more apparent than real. It has reference more to the language, than to the man. Political causes sometimes force a people to adopt a foreign language. The syntax of the foreign tongue, in this case, is lost; and the native syntax moulds the foreign elements, imposed upon it, to its own genius. The affinity of languages, 002524with different radicals but like syntax, is less striking, but more intimate; for this establishes the connexion of the people speaking such languages, if it does not prove that of the languages themselves.

Whilst I think, that this interesting question of the origin of the Foulahs, requires additional materials for its proper investigation, it will give me pleasure, at some future day, to submit to you those materials, which I have now the hope and expectation of being able to procure.

With sentiments of great regard,I am, my dear sir,Very sincerely, yours,WM. B. HODGSON.New-York, September 24, 1843.