▁the ▁ 1 8 4 0 s ▁( e . g . ▁Moore ▁ 1 9 7 9 ), ▁and ▁therefore ▁Tor res ▁Stra it ▁Cre ole ▁may ▁very ▁well ▁be ▁as ▁old ▁as , ▁if ▁not ▁older , ▁than ▁its ▁sister ▁languages , ▁and ▁not ▁a ▁desc endant ▁of ▁any ▁of ▁these . ▁The ▁main ▁im por ters ▁of ▁the ▁pid gin ▁were ▁British ▁and ▁other ▁sail ors , ▁many ▁of ▁whom ▁were ▁South ▁Sea ▁Island ers , ▁both ▁Mel anes ian ▁and ▁Pol yn esian , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Island ▁South - E ast ▁A si ans , ▁J ama icans , ▁C anton ese ▁Chinese , ▁Japanese , ▁and ▁others . ▁Therefore , ▁Tor res ▁Stra it ▁Cre ole ▁has ▁various ▁characteristics ▁of ▁these ▁different ▁types ▁of ▁P id gin , ▁the ▁main ▁ones ▁being ▁mid - ▁to ▁late ▁ 1 8 0 0 s ▁Mal ay - area ▁P id gin ▁English ▁( but ▁not ▁Sing lish , ▁one ▁of ▁its ▁modern ▁represent atives ), ▁Pacific ▁P id gin ▁and ▁J ama ican ▁P ato is . ▁It ▁may ▁have ▁cre ol ised ▁quite ▁early ▁( pre - 1 9 0 0 ) ▁on ▁D arn ley ▁Island , ▁and ▁somewhat ▁later ▁( post - 1 9 1 0 ) ▁at ▁St ▁Paul s ▁on ▁Mo a ▁and ▁on ▁Y or ke ▁Island ▁in ▁the ▁Central ▁Islands . ▁Cre ol isation ▁is ▁post - 1 9 6 0 s ▁elsewhere . ▁ ▁The ▁Pap uan ▁dialect ▁was ▁replaced ▁by