Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/20

 8 GOVERNMENT. ward. It is not unfrequent to see one, two, or three smaller villages depending upon a greater one, although at several miles distance from it ; and in many cases, the history of the emigration of these little colonies can be traced to no very distant pe- riod of years. Among the Malays, too, we find traces of the same progress of population, in the distinct names given to the dependent plantations. When formed on a river, as in their situation they must often be, they are very frequently denomi- nated " child," or " progeny," terms which at once point at their origin. All the languages, it may be remarked, have a copious phraseology on this subject, while there is but one name in all for toivn or city, and that a foreign one ; — in short, one borrowed from the Hindus, (Ndgri.) In tracing the progress of social order among the tribes of the Indian islands, I make no refer- ence to the shepherd state. Such a form of socie- ty could, in fact, never have existed in these coun- tries, from the very nature of things. In regions abounding in rivers and narrow seas, and covered with stupendous forests, emigrations would take place by water, and not by land ; — an important fact, which constantly presents itself to us. The abun- dance of wild roots, honey, and game, but, above all, of fish, would, in a rude period of society, suggest these as materials of subsistence more easy and ob- vious than the taming of cattle. Minor considera.