On this day ...
15 January 1771
Endeavour Voyage Maps
James Cook's Journal Ms 1, National Library of Australia
Transcript of Cook's Journal
Joseph Banks's Journal
Sydney Parkinson's Journal
Batavia to the Cape of Good Hope
Index
Search
Contact us
This similitude is particularly remarkable in the words expressing number, which at first sight seems to be no inconsiderable proof that the science at least of these different people has a common root. But the names of numbers in the island of Madagascar, are, in some instances, similar to all these, which is a problem still more difficult to solve. That the names of numbers, in particular, are in a manner common to all these countries, will appear from the following comparative table, which Mr. Banks drew up, with the assistance of a negro slave, born at Madagascar, who was on board an English ship at Batavia, and sent to him to gratify his curiosity on this subject.
| English. | South Sea. | Malay. | Javanese. | Prince's Island. | Madagascar. |
| One, | Tahie, | Satou, | Sigi, | Hegie, | Iffe. |
| Two, | Rua, | Dua, | Lorou, | Dua, | Rua. |
| Three, | Torou, | Tiga, | Tullu, | Tollu, | Tellou. |
| Four, | Haa, | Ampat, | Pappat, | Opat, | Effats. |
| Five, | Reina, | Lima, | Limo, | Limah, | Limi. |
| Six, | Wheney, | Annam, | Nunnam, | Gunnap, | Ene. |
| Seven, | Hetu, | Tudju, | Petu, | Tudju, | Titou. |
| Eight, | Waru, | Delapau, | Wolo, | Delapan, | Walon. |
| Nine, | Iva, | Sembilan, | Songo, | Salapan, | Sivi. |
| Ten, | Ahouroa, | Sapoulou, | Sapoulou, | Sapoulou, | Tourou. |
In the language of Madagascar, there are other words similar to words of the same import in the Malay. The nose in Malay is called Erung, at Madagascar Ourou; Lida, the tongue, is Lala; Tangan, the hand, is Tang; and Tanna, the ground, is Taan.
 |
Voyaging Accounts |  |
© Derived from Vols. II-III of the London 1773 edition: National Library of Australia call no. FERG 7243, pages 777 - 778, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/hv23/777.html