Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America

Chap. XVII Of Their Language, Hieroglyphicks, &c.

The principal languages of the natives of North America may be divided into four classes, as they consist of such as are made use of by the nations of the Iroquois towards the eastern parts of it, the Chipéways or Algonkins to the north-west, the Naudowessies to the west, and the Cherokees, Chickasaws, &c. to the south. One or other of these four are used by all the Indians who inhabit the parts that lie between the coast of Labradore north, the Florida south, the Atlantic ocean east, and, as far as we can judge from the discoveries hitherto made, the Pacific Ocean on the west.

But of all these, the Chipéway tongue appears to be the most prevailing; it being held in such esteem, that the chiefs of every tribe, dwelling about the great lakes, or to the westward of these on the banks of the Mississippi, with those as far south as the Ohio, and as far north as Hudson’s Bay, consisting of more than thirty different tribes, speak this language alone in their councils, notwithstanding each has a peculiar one of their own.

It will probably in time become universal among all the Indian nations, as none of them attempt to make excursions to any great distance, or are considered as qualified to carry on any negociation with a distant band, unless they have acquired the Chipéway tongue.

At present, besides the Chipéways, to whom it is natural, the Ottawaws, the Saukies, the Ottagaumies, the Killistinoes, the Nipegons, the bands about Lake Le Pleuve, and the remains of the Algonkins or Gens de Terre, all converse in it, with some little variation of dialect; but whether it be natural to these nations, or acquired, I was not able to discover. I am however of opinion that the barbarous and uncouth dialect of the Winnebagoes, the Menomonies, and many other tribes, will become in time totally extinct, and this be adopted in its stead.

The Chipéway tongue is not incumbered with any unnecessary tones or accents, neither are there any words in it that are superfluous; it is also easy to pronounce, and much more copious than any other Indian language.

As the Indians are unacquainted with the polite arts, or with the sciences, and as they are also strangers to ceremony or compliment, they neither have nor need an infinity of words wherewith to embellish their discourse. Plain and unpolished in their manners, they only make use of such as serve to denominate the necessaries or conveniences of life, and to express their wants, which in a state of nature can be but few.

I have annexed hereto a short vocabulary of the Chipéway language, and another of that of the Naudowessies, but am not able to reduce them to the rules of grammar.

The latter is spoken in a soft accent, without any guttural sounds, so that it may be learnt with facility, and is not difficult either to be pronounced or written. It is nearly as copious and expressive as the Chipéway tongue, and is the most prevailing language of any on the Western banks of the Mississippi; being in use, according to their account, among all the nations that lie to the north of the Messorie, and extend as far west as the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

As the Indians are not acquainted with letters, it is very difficult to convey with precision the exact sound of their words; I have however endeavoured to write them as near to the manner in which they are expressed, as such an uncertain mode will admit of.

Although the Indians cannot communicate their ideas by writing, yet they form certain hieroglyphicks, which, in some measure, serve to perpetuate any extraordinary transaction, or uncommon event. Thus when they are on their excursions, and either intend to proceed, or have been, on any remarkable enterprize, they peel the bark from the trees which lie in their way, to give intelligence to those parties that happen to be at a distance, of the path they must pursue to overtake them.

The following instance will convey a more perfect idea of the methods they make use of on this occasion, than any expressions I can frame.

When I left the Mississippi, and proceeded up the Chipéway River in my way to Lake Superior, as related in my Journal, my guide, who was a chief of the Chipéways that dwell on the Ottawaw Lake, near the heads of the river we had just entered, fearing that some parties of the Naudowessies, with whom his nation are perpetually at war, might accidentally fall in with us, and before they were apprized of my being in company, do us some mischief, he took the following steps.

He peeled the bark from a large tree near the entrance of a river, and with wood-coal mixed with bear’s-grease, their usual substitute for ink, made in an uncouth but expressive manner the figure of the town of the Ottagaumies. He then formed to the left a man dressed in skins, by which he intended to represent a Naudowessie, with a line drawn from his mouth to that of a deer, the symbol of the Chipéways. After this he depictured still farther to the left a canoe as proceeding up the river, in which he placed a man sitting with a hat on; this figure was designed to represent an Englishman, or myself, and my Frenchman was drawn with a handkerchief tied round his head, and rowing the canoe; to these he added several other significant emblems, among which the Pipe of Peace appeared painted on the prow of the canoe.

The meaning he intended to convey to the Naudowessies, and which I doubt not appeared perfectly intelligible to them, was, that one of the Chipéway chiefs had received a speech from some Naudowessie chiefs at the town of the Ottagaumies, desiring him to conduct the Englishman, who had lately been among them, up the Chipéway river; and that they thereby required, that the Chipéway, notwithstanding he was an avowed enemy, should not be molested by them on his passage, as he had the care of a person whom they esteemed as one of their nation.

Some authors have pretended that the Indians have armorial bearings, which they blazon with great exactness, and which distinguish one nation from another; but I never could observe any other arms among them than the symbols already described.

A Short Vocabulary of the Chipéway Language

N. B. This people do not make use either of the consonants F or V.

A
Above	Spimink
Abandon	Packiton
Admirable	Pilawah
Afterwards	Mipidach
All	Kokinum
Always	Kokali
Amiss	Napitch
Arrive	Takouchin
Ax	Agacwet
Ashes	Pingoe
Assist	Mawinewáh
B
Ball	Alewin
Bag, or tobacco-pouch	Caspetawgan
Barrel	Owentawgan
Beat	Pakkite
Bear, a	Mackwah
Bear, a young one	Makon
Beaver	Amik
Beaver’s skin	Apiminiqué
Be, or to be	Tapaié
Beard	Mischiton
Because	Mewinch
Believe	Tilerimah
Belly	Mishemout
Black	Markaute
Blood	Miskow
Body	Yoe
Bottle	Shishego
Brother	Neconnis
Brandy, or Rum	Scuttawawbah
Bread	Paboushigan
Breech	Miscousab
Breeches	Kipokitie Kousah
Buck	Wasketch
C
Canoe	Cheman
Call	Teshenekaw
Chief, a	Okemaw
Carry	Petou
Child, or Children	Bobeloshin
Coat	Capotewian
Cold, I am	Kekatch
Come on	Moppa
Come to	Pemotcha
Comrade	Neechee
Concerned	Tallemissi
Corn	Melomin
Covering, or a Blanket	Wawbewion
Country	Endawlawkeen
Courage	Tagwawmissii
Cup	Olawgan
D
Dance	Nemeh
Dart	Sheshikwee
Die, to	Nip
Dish	Mackoan
Dog	Alim
Dead	Neepoo
Devil, or evil Spirit	Matcho-Manitou
Dog, a little one	Alemon
Done, it is done	Shiah
Do	Toshiton
Doubtless	Ontclatoubah
Dress the kettle	Poutwah
Drink	Minikwah
Drunken	Ouisquiba
Duck	Chickhip
E
Earth	Aukwin
Eat	Owissiné
Each	Papégik
English	Sagaunosh
Enough	Mimilic
Equal, or alike	Tawbiscouch
Esteem	Nawpetelimáw
Eyes	Wiskinkhie
F
Fast	Waliebic
Fall	Ponkisin
Far off	Watsaw
Fat	Pimmitee
Friend	Niconnis
Father	Noosah
Few, or little	Maungis
Fatigued	Taukwissi
Field sown	Kittegaumic
Fire	Scutta
Fire, to strike	Scutecke
Find	Nantounawaw
Fish	Kickon
Fork	Nassawokwot
Formerly	Pirwego
Fort	Wakaigon
Forward	Nopawink
French	Nechtegoosh
Freeze, to	Kissin
Freezes hard	Kissin Magat
Full	Mouskinet
Fuzee or Gun	Paskessigan
G
God, or the Great Spirit	Kitchi Manitou
Go by water	Pimmiscaw
Girl	Jeckwassin
Give	Millaw
Glass, a mirror	Wawbemo
Good	Cawlatch
Good for nothing	Malatal
Govern	Tibarimaw
General, or Commander in Chief	Kitchi Okimaw Simáuganish
Grapes	Shoamin
Great	Manatou
Greedy	Sawsáwkissi
Guts	Oláwbish
H
Hare	Wawpoos
Heart	Michewah
Hate	Shingaurimaw
Half	Nawbal
Hair, human	Lissis
Hair of beasts	Pewal
Handsome	Canogininne
Have	Tandaulaw
Head	Oustecouan
Heaven	Speminkakwin
Herb	Mejask
Here	Aconda
Hidden	Kemouch
Home	Entayent
Honour	Mackawalaw
Hot	Akeshotta
How	Tawné
How many	Tawnemilik
Hunt	Kewassa
Hut, or House	Wig-Waum
I
Indians	Ishinawbah
Iron	Pewawbick
Island	Minis
Immediately	Webatch
Indian Corn	Mittawmin
Intirely	Nawpitch
Impostor	Mawlawtissie
It might be so	Tawneendo
K
Kettle	Ackikons
King, or Chief	Okemaw
Keep	Ganwerimaw
Knife	Mockoman
Knife that is crooked	Cootawgon
Know	Thickeremaw
L
Lake	Kitchigawmink
Laugh	Pawpi
Lazy	Kittimi
Lame	Kikekate
Leave	Pockiton
Letter	Mawsignaugon
Life	Nouchimowin
Love	Saukie
Long since	Shawshia
Land Carriage	Cappatawgon
Lose	Packilaugué
Lie down	Weepemaw
Little	Waubesheen
M
Meat	Weas
Much	Nibbilaw
Man	Allissinape
March, to go	Pimmoussie
Marry	Weewin
Medicine	Maskikic
Merchandize	Alokochigon
Moon	Debicot
Mortar to pound in	Poutawgon
Male	Nape
Mistress	Neremousin
N
Needle	Shawbonkin
Near	Pewitch
Nation	Irinee
Never	Cawikkaw
Night	Debicot
No	Kaw
Nose	Yoch
Nothing	Kakego
Not yet	Kawmischi
Not at all	Kagutch
Nought, good for nothing	Malatat
O
Old	Kauweshine
Otter	Nikkik
Other	Coutack
P
Pipe	Poagan
Part, what Part	Tawnapee
Play	Packeigo
Powder, gun, or dust	Pingo
Peace, to make	Pecacotiche
Pray	Tawlaimia
Proper	Sawsega
Presently	Webatch
Peninsula	Minnissin
Q
Quick	Kegotch
R
Regard	Wawbemo
Red	Miscow
Resolve	Tibelindon
Relation	Tawwemaw
Respect	Tawbawmica
Rain	Kimmewan
Robe	Ockolaw
River	Sippim
Run, to	Pitchebot
S
Sad	Talimissie
Sail	Pemiscaw
Sack, or Bag	Maskimot
Sea, or large Lake	Agankitchigawmink
Shoes	Maukissin
Ship, or large Canoe	Kitchi Cheman
Sorry	Niscottissie
Spirit	Manitou
Spoon	Mickwon
Star	Alank
Steal	Kemautin
Stockings	Mittaus
Strong	Mashkauwáh
Sturgeon	Lawmack
Sun	Kissis
Sword	Simaugan
Surprizing	Etwah, Etwah
See	Wawbemo
Since	Mapedoh
Shirt	Papawkwéan
Slave	Wackan
Sleep	Nippee
Sit down	Mintepin
T
Take	Emaundah
Teeth	Tibbit
That	Mawbah
There	Watsaudebi
This	Maundah
Truly	Kikit
Together	Mawmawwee
Tobacco	Semau
Tongue	Outon
Tired	Tawkonsie
Too little	Osaummangis
Too much	Ossauné
Thank you	Megwatch
To-morrow	Wawbunk
To-morrow the day after	Ouswawbunk
W
Warriors	Semauganaush
Water	Nebbi
War	Nantaubaulaw
Way	Mickon
Well then!	Tauneendah!
What is that?	Wawwewin?
What now?	Quagonie?
Whence	Taunippi
Where	Tah
White	Waubé
Who is there?	Quagonie Maubah?
Wind	Loutin
Winter	Pepoun
Woman	Ickwee
Wood	Mittic
Wolf	Mawhingon
Y
Yesterday	Petchilawgo
Yet	Minnewatch
Young	Wisconekissi
Yellow	Wazzo.

The Numerical Terms of the Chipéways.

One	Páshik
Two	Ninch
Three	Nissou
Four	Neau
Five	Naran
Six	Ningoutwassou
Seven	Ninchowassou
Eight	Nissowassou
Nine	Shongassou
Ten	Mittaussou
Eleven	Mittaussou Páshik
Twenty	Ninchtawnaw
Thirty	Nissou Mittawnaw
Forty	Neau Mittawnaw
Fifty	Naran Mittawnaw
Sixty	Ningoutwassou Mittawnaw
Seventy	Ninchowassou Mittawnaw
Eighty	Nissowassou Mittawnaw
Ninety	Shongassou Mittawnaw
Hundred	Mittaussou Mittawnaw
Thousand	Mittaussou Mittaussou Mittawnaw.

A Short Vocabulary of the Naudowessie Language

A
Axe	Ashpaw
B
Beaver	Chawbah
Buffalo	Tawtongo
Bad	Shejah
Broach	Muzahootoo
Bear, a	Wahkonshejah
C
Canoe	Waahtoh
Cold	Mechuetah
Child, a	Male Wechoakseh
Child, a Female	Whacheekseh
Come here	Accooyouiyare
D
Dead	Negush
Deer	Tohinjoh
Dog	Shungush
E
Eat	Echawmenaw
Ears	Nookah
Eyes	Eshtike
Evil	Shejah
F
Fire	Paahtah
Father	Otah
Frenchman	Neehteegush
Falls of Water	Owah Menah
Friend	Kitchiwah
G
Good	Woshtah
Give	Accooyeh
Go away	Accoowah
God, or the Great Spirit	Wakon
Gun	Muzah Wakon
Great	Tongo
Gold	Muzaham
H
Hear	Nookishon
Horse	Shuetongo
Home, or domestic	Shuah
House	Teebee
Heaven	Woshta Tebee
I
Iron	Muzah
I, or me	Meoh
K
King, or Chief	Otah
Kill	Negushtaugaw
L
Little	Jestin
Long	Tongoom
Lake	Tongo Meneh
Love	Ehwahmeah
M
Much	Otah
More	Otenaw
Moon	Oweeh
Mouth	Eeh
Medal	Muzah Otah
Mine	Mewah
Milk	Etsawboh
N
No	Heyah
Near	Jeestinaw
O
Oh!	Hopiniyahie!
P
Pipe	Shanuapaw
Pipe of Peace	Shanuapaw Wakon
R
Rain	Owah Meneh
Ring	Muzamchupah
Round	Chupah
S
Smoke	Shaweah
Salt Water	Menis Queah
See, to	Eshtaw
Sleep	Eshteemo
Snake	Omlishcaw
Sun	Paahtah
Spirit	Wakon
Spirituous Liquors	Meneh Wakon
Snow	Sinnee
Surprizing	Hopiniayare
Silver	Muzaham
T
Tobacco	Shawsassaw
Talk	Owehchin
Tree	Ochaw
There	Daché
W
Woman	Winnokejah
Wonderful	Hopiniyare
Water	Meneh
What	Tawgo
Who is there?	Tawgodaché?
Wicked	Heyahachta
Y
You	Chee
Young	Hawpawnaw
You are good	Washtah Chee
You are a Spirit	Wakon Chee
You are my good Friend	Washtah Kitchiwah Chee
No Good	Heyah Washtah.

The Numerical Terms of the Naudowessies.

One	Wonchaw
Two	Noompaw
Three	Yawmonee
Four	Toboh
Five	Sawbuttee
Six	Shawco
Seven	Shawcopee
Eight	Shahindohin
Nine	Nebochunganong
Ten	Wegochunganong
Eleven	Wegochunganong Wonchaw
Twenty	Wegochunganong Noompaw
Thirty	Wegochunganong Yawmonee
Forty	Wegochunganong Toboh
Fifty	Wegochunganong Sawbuttee
Sixty	Wegochunganong Shawco
Seventy	Wegochunganong Shawcopee
Eighty	Wegochunganong Shahindohin
Ninety	Wegochunganong Nebochunganong
Hundred	Opohng
Thousand	Wegochunganong Opohng.

To this short vocabulary of the Naudowessie language, I shall adjoin a specimen of the manner in which they unite their words. I have chosen for this purpose a short song, which they sing, with some kind of melody, though not with any appearance of poetical measure, when they set out on their hunting expeditions: and have given as near a translation as the difference of the idioms will permit.

Meoh accoowah eshtaw paatah negushtawgaw shejah menah. Tongo Wakon meoh woshta, paatah accoowah. Hopiniyahie oweeh accooyee meoh, woshta patah otoh tohinjoh meoh teebee.

I will arise before the sun, and ascend yonder hill, to see the new light chase away the vapours, and disperse the clouds. Great Spirit give me success. And when the sun is gone, lend me, oh moon, light sufficient to guide me with safety back to my tent loaden with deer!