Another hypothesis, much less improbable, though not satisfactory, is
that civilization was brought to America in ancient times by the Malays.
There was a great island empire of the Malays, whose history extended
far back into pre-historic times, how far back can not now be known. It
was still in existence when the Portuguese first went to India around
the Cape of Good Hope; and we have several accounts of this empire
written by travelers who saw and described it six hundred years before
this first Indian voyage of the Portuguese was undertaken. El Mas'udi,
who was one of these travelers, used very strong terms to describe its
extent, intelligence, and power. Speaking of its sovereign, he said,
"The islands under his sceptre are so numerous that the fastest sailing
vessel is not able to go round them in two years," implying that his
sway was acknowledged by the island world over a large portion of the
Pacific. This Malayan empire was maritime and commercial; it had fleets
of great ships; and there is evidence that its influence reached most of
the Pacific islands. This is shown by the fact that dialects of the
Malay language have been found in most of these islands as far in this
direction as Easter Island. The language of the Sandwich Islanders, for
instance, is Malayan, and has a close relationship to that now spoken in
the Malay islands.
The metropolis of this great empire was in the island of Java, where old
ruins still bear witness to the former "civilization, wealth, and
splendor" celebrated by El Mas'udi. Mr. A. R. Wallace, in his work on
the Malay Archipelago, says, "Few Englishmen are aware of the number and
beauty of the architectural remains in Java. They have never been
popularly illustrated or described, and it will therefore take most
persons by surprise to learn that they far surpass those of Central
America, perhaps even those of India." The purpose of his visit to the
island did not allow him to explore ruins, but he describes some of
them. He saw what still remains of an ancient city called "Modjo-pahit,"
and says, "There were two lofty brick masses, apparently the sides of a
gateway. The extreme perfection and beauty of the brick-work astonished
me. The bricks are exceedingly fine and hard, with sharp angles and true
surfaces. They were laid with great exactness, without visible mortar or
cement, yet somehow fastened together so that the joints are hardly
perceptible, and sometimes the two surfaces coalesce in a most
incomprehensible manner. Such admirable brick-work I have never seen
before or since. There was no sculpture here, but abundance of bold
projections and finely-worked mouldings. Traces of buildings exist for
many miles in every direction, and almost every road and pathway shows a
foundation of brick-work beneath it, the paved roads of the old city."
In other places he saw sculptures and beautifully carved figures in high
relief.
The Malays still read and write, have some literature, and retain many
of the arts and usages of civilization, but they are now very far below
the condition indicated by these ruins, and described by El Mas'udi, who
traveled among them a thousand years ago. It is by no means improbable
that their ships visited the western coast of America, and traded with
the ancient Mexicans and Peruvians in the days of their greatest power
and activity. It is not easy to believe they could fail to do so after
taking such control of Easter Island as to leave their language there;
and, according to the old traditions of both Mexico and Peru, the
Pacific coast in both countries was anciently visited by a foreign
people who came in ships. But they did not come to America as
civilizers; there is nothing Malayan in either the antiquities or the
ancient speech of these countries.
What is known of the former great condition and power of the Malays
furnishes important suggestions relative to the ancient history of the
islands of Eastern Asia and the Pacific Ocean,[170-*] as well as those
of the Indian Ocean.
The people who inhabit the eastern side of Formosa, it is said, use a
Malay dialect, and have no resemblance whatever to the Mongols. Who can
fully explain the little known Ainos, who formerly occupied the whole,
or nearly the whole of Japan? The unmistakable traces of Malay influence
every where in the islands of the Pacific can have but one meaning. The
Malays formerly sailed on that ocean, occupied its islands, and
doubtless visited America.
That there was communication between Eastern Asia and America in very
ancient times, through the Malays or otherwise, is in a high degree
probable. This continent was known to the Japanese and Chinese long
before the time of Columbus. Accounts of it were recorded in their books
previous to his time. They called it "Fusang," and evidently, at some
period, had been accustomed to make voyages to some part of the American
coast. But neither the Malays, the Chinese, nor the Japanese came here
as civilizers, for there is no trace of either of these peoples in the
old ruins, in the ancient language of the country, or in any thing we
know of the people whom these American ruins represent.