I. THE IROQUOIS, and

I. THE IROQUOIS, and

II. _The Sioux._--I have little to say respecting these families except that they appear to belong to some higher class,--a class which, without being raised to any inordinate value, may eventually include not only these two now distinct families, but also the Catawba, Woccoon, Cherokee, Choctah, and (perhaps) Caddo groups,--perhaps also the Pawni and its ally the Riccaree.

III. THE ALGONKIN GROUP.--The present form of this group differs from that which appears in the Archæologia Americana, by exhibiting larger dimensions. Nothing that was then placed within has since been subtracted from it; indeed, subtractions from any class of Gallatin's making are well-nigh impossible. In respect to additions, the case stands differently.

Addition of no slight importance have been made to the Algonkin group. The earliest was that of--

_The Bethuck._--The Bethuck is the native language of Newfoundland. In 1846, the collation of a Bethuck vocabulary enabled me to state that the language of the extinct, or doubtfully extant, aborigines of that island was akin to those of the ordinary American Indians rather than to the Eskimo; further investigation showing that, of the ordinary American languages, it was Algonkin rather than aught else.

A sample of the evidence of this is to be found in the following table; a table formed, not upon the collation of the whole MS., but only upon the more important words contained in it.

_English_, son. Bethuck, _mageraguis_. Cree, _equssis_. Ojibbeway, _ninqwisis_} ---- _negwis_ } = my son. Ottawa, _kwis_. Micmac, _unquece_. Passamaquoddy, _n'hos_. Narragansetts, _nummuckiese_ = myson. Delaware, _quissau_ = his son. Miami, _akwissima_. ----, _ungwissah_. Shawnoe, _koisso_. Sack & Fox, _neckwessa_. Menomeni, _nekeesh_.

_English_, girl. Bethuck, _woaseesh_. Cree, _squaisis_. Ojibbeway, _ekwaizais_. Ottawa, _aquesens_. Old Algonkin, _ickwessen_. Sheshatapoosh, _squashish_. Passamaquoddy, _pelsquasis_. Narragansetts, _squasese_. Montaug, _squasses_. Sack & Fox, _skwessah_. Cree, _awâsis_ = child. Sheshatapoosh, _awash_ = child.

_English_, mouth. Bethuck, _mamadthun_. Nanticoke, _mettoon_. Massachusetts, _muttoon_. Narragansetts, _wuttoon_. Penobscot, _madoon_. Acadcan, _meton_. Micmac, _toon_. Abenaki, _ootoon_.

_English_, nose. Bethuck, _gheen_. Miami, _keouane_.

_English_, teeth. Bethuck, _bocbodza_. Micmac, _neebeet_. Abenaki, _neebeet_.

_English_, hand. Bethuck, _maemed_. Micmac, _paeteen_. Abenaki, _mpateen_.

_English_, ear. Bethuck, _mootchiman_. Micmac, _mootooween_. Abenaki, _nootawee_.

_English_, smoke. Bethuck, _bassdik_. Abenaki, _ettoodake_.

_English_, oil. Bethuck, _emet_. Micmac, _memaye_. Abenaki, _pemmee_.

_English_, sun. Bethuck, _keuse_. Cree, &c., _kisis_. Abenaki, _kesus_. Mohican, _kesogh_. Delaware, _gishukh_. Illinois, _kisipol_. Shawnoe, _kesathwa_. Sack & Fox, _kejessoah_. Menomeni, _kaysho_. Passamaquoddy, _kisos_ = moon. Abenaki, _kisus_ = moon. Illinois, _kisis_ = moon. Cree, _kesecow_ = day. Ojibbeway, _kijik_ = day and light. Ottawa, _kijik_ = ditto. Abenaki, _kiseoukou_ = ditto, Delaware, _gieshku_ = ditto. Illinois, _kisik_ = ditto. Shawnoe, _keeshqua_ = ditto. Sack & Fox, _keeshekeh_ = ditto.

_English_, fire. Bethuck, _boobeeshawt_. Cree, _esquitti_, _scoutay_. Ojibbeway, _ishkodai_, _skootae_. Ottawa, _ashkote_. Old Algonkin, _skootay_. Sheshatapoosh, _schootay_. Passamaquoddy, _skeet_. Abenaki, _skoutai_. Massachusetts, _squitta_. Narragansetts, _squtta_.

_English_, white. Bethuck, _wobee_. Cree, _wabisca_. ----, _wapishkawo_. Ojibbeway, _wawbishkaw_. ----, _wawbizze_. Old Algonkin, _wabi_. Sheshatapoosh, _wahpou_. Micmac, _ouabeg_, _wabeck_. Mountaineer, _wapsiou_. Passamaquoddy, _wapiyo_. Abenaki, _wanbighenour_. ----, _wanbegan_. Massachusetts, _wompi_. Narragansetts, _wompesu_. Mohican, _waupaaeek_. Montaug, _wampayo_. Delaware, _wape_, _wapsu_, _wapsit_. Nanticoke, _wauppauyu_. Miami, _wapekinggek_. Shawnoe, _opee_. Sack & Fox, _wapeskayah_. Menomeni, _waubish keewah_.

_English_, black. Bethuck, _mandzey_. Ojibbeway, _mukkudaiwa_. Ottawa, _mackateh_. Narragansetts, _mowesu_. Massachusetts, _mooi_.

_English_, house. Bethuck, _meeootik_. Narragansetts, _wetu_.

_English_, shoe. Bethuck, _mosen_. Abenaki, _mkessen_.

_English_, snow. Bethuck, _kaasussabook_. Cree, _sasagun_ = hail. Ojibbeway, _saisaigan_. Sheshatapoosh, _shashaygan_.

_English_, speak. Bethuck, _ieroothack_. Taculli, _yaltuck_. Cree, _alhemetakcouse_. Wyandot, _atakea_.

_English_, yes. Bethuck, _yeathun_. Cree, _ahhah_. Passamaquoddy, _netek_.

_English_, no. Bethuck, _newin_. Cree, _namaw_. Ojibbeway, _kawine_. Ottawa, _kauween_.

_English_, hatchet. Bethuck, _dthoonanyen_. Taculli, _thynle_.

_English_, knife. Bethuck, _eewaeen_. Micmac, _uagan_.

_English_, bad. Bethuck, _muddy_. Cree, _myaton_. Ojibbeway, _monadud_. ----, _mudji_. Ottawa, _matche_. Micmac, _matoualkr_. Massachusetts, _matche_. Narragansetts, _matchit_. Mohican, _matchit_. Montaug, _mattateayah_. Montaug, _muttadeeaco_. Delaware, _makhtitsu_. Nanticoke, _mattik_. Sack & Fox, _motchie_. ----, _matchathie_.

_The Shyenne._--A second addition of the Algonkin class was that of the Shyenne language--a language suspected to be Algonkin at the publication of the Archæologia Americana. In a treaty made between the United States and the Shyenne Indians in 1825, the names of the chiefs who signed were Sioux, or significant in the Sioux language. It was not unreasonable to consider this a _primâ-facie_ evidence of the Shyenne tongue itself being Sioux. Nevertheless, there were some decided statements in the way of external evidence in another direction. There was the special evidence of a gentleman well-acquainted with the fact, that the names of the treaty, so significant in the Sioux language, were only translations from the proper Shyenne, there having been no Shyenne interpreter at the drawing-up of the document. What then was the true Shyenne? A vocabulary of Lieut. Abert's settled this. The numerals of this were published earlier than the other words, and on these the present writer remarked that they were Algonkin (Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, 1847,--Transactions of the Sections, p. 123). Meanwhile, the full vocabulary, which was in the hands of Gallatin, and collated by him, gave the contemplated result:--"Out of forty-seven Shyenne words for which we have equivalents in other languages, there are thirteen which are indubitably Algonkin, and twenty-five which have affinities more or less remote with some of the languages of that family." (Transactions of the American Ethnological Society, vol. ii. p. cxi. 1848.)

_The Blackfoot._--In the same volume (p. cxiii), and by the same author, we find a table showing the Blackfoot to be Algonkin; a fact that must now be generally recognized, having been confirmed by later _data_. The probability of this affinity was surmised in a paper in the 28th Number of the Proceedings of the present Society.

_The Arrapaho._--This is the name of a tribe in Kansas; occupant of a district in immediate contact with the Shyenne country.

But the Shyennes are no _indigenæ_ to Kansas. Neither are the Arrapahos. The so-called Fall Indians, of whose language we have long had a very short trader's vocabulary in Umfreville, are named from their occupancy which is on the Falls of the Saskatshewan. The Nehethewa, or Crees, of their neighbourhood call them so; so that it is a Cree term of which the English is a translation. Another name (English also) is _Big-belly_, in French _Gros-ventre_. This has given rise to some confusion. _Gros-ventre_ is a name also given to the Minetari of the Yellow-stone River; whence the name Minetari itself has, most improperly, been applied (though not, perhaps, very often or by good authorities) to the Fall Indians.

The Minetari _Gros-ventres_ belong to the Sioux family. Not so the _Gros-ventres_ of the Falls. Adelung remarked that some of their words had an affinity with the Algonkin, or as he called it, Chippeway-Delaware, family, _e. g._ the names for _tobacco_, _arrow_, _four_, and _ten_.

Umfreville's vocabulary was too short for anything but the most general purposes and the most cautious of suggestions. It was, however, for a long time the only one known. The next to it, in the order of time, was one in MS., belonging to Gallatin, but which was seen by Dr. Prichard and collated by the present writer, his remarks upon it being published in the 134th Number of the Proceedings of this Society. They were simply to the effect that the language had certain miscellaneous affinities. An Arrapaho vocabulary in Schoolcraft tells us something more than this; viz. not only that it is, decidedly, the same language as the Fall Indian of Umfreville, but that it has definite and preponderating affinities with the Shyenne, and, through it, with the great Algonkin class in general.

ENGLISH. ARRAPAHO. SHYENNE.

_scalp_ mithash matake. _tongue_ nathun vetunno. _tooth_ veathtah veisike. _beard_ vasesanon meatsa. _hand_ mahchetun maharts. _blood_ bahe mahe. _sinew_ anita antikah. _heart_ battah estah. _mouth_ nettee marthe. _girl_ issaha xsa. _husband_ nash nah. _son_ naah nah. _daughter_ nahtahnah nahteh. _one_ chassa nuke. _two_ neis neguth. _three_ nas nahe. _four_ yeane nave. _five_ yorthun noane. _six_ nitahter nahsato. _seven_ nisorter nisoto. _eight_ nahsorter nahnoto. _nine_ siautah soto. _ten_ mahtahtah mahtoto.

ENGLISH. ARRAPAHO. OTHER ALGONKIN LANGUAGES.

_man_ enanetah enainneew, _Menom_. &c. _father, my_ nasonnah nosaw, _Miami_. _mother, my_ nanah nekeah, _Menom_. _husband, my_ nash nah, _Shyenne_. _son, my_ naah nah, _Shyenne_. ---- ---- nikwithah, _Shawnee_. _daughter, my_ nahtahnah netawnah, _Miami_. _brother, my_ nasisthsah nesawsah, _Miami_. _sister, my_ naecahtaiah nekoshaymank, _Menom_. _Indian_ enenitah ah wainhukai, Delaware. _eye_ mishishi maishkayshaik, _Menom_. _mouth_ netti may tone, _Menom_. _tongue_ nathun wilano, _Delaware_. _tooth_ veathtah wi pit, _Delaware_. _beard_ vasesanon witonahi, _Delaware_. _back_ nerkorbah pawkawmema, _Miami_. _hand_ machetun olatshi, _Shawnee_. _foot_ nauthauitah ozit, _Delaware_. _bone_ hahunnah ohkonne, _Menom_. _heart_ battah maytah, _Menom_. _blood_ bahe mainhki, _Menom_. _sinew_ anita ohtah, _Menom_. _flesh_ wonnunyah weensama, _Miami_. _skin_ tahyatch xais, _Delaware_. _town_ haitan otainahe, _Delaware_. _door_ tichunwa kwawntame, _Miami_. _sun_ nishi-ish kayshoh, _Menom_. _star_ ahthah allangwh, _Delaware_. _day_ ishi kishko, _Delaware_. _autumn_ tahuni tahkoxko, _Delaware_. _wind_ assissi kaishxing, _Delaware_. _fire_ ishshitta ishkotawi, _Menom_. _water_ nutch nape, _Miami_. _ice_ wahhu mainquom, _Menom_. _mountain_ ahhi wahchiwi, _Shawnee_. _hot_ hastah ksita, _Shawnee_. _he_ enun enaw, _Miami_. ---- ---- waynanh, _Menom_. _that_ (_in_) hinnah aynaih, _Menom_. _who_ unnahah ahwahnay, _Menom_. _no_ chinnani kawn, _Menom_. _eat_ mennisi mitishin, _Menom_. _drink_ bannah maynaan, _Menom_. _kill_ nauaiut _osh_-nainhnay, _Menom_.

_Fitzhugh Sound forms in_-SKUM.--There is still a possible addition to the Algonkin group; though it is probable that it cannot be added to it without raising the value of the class. The exact value and interpretation of the following fact has yet to be made out. I lay it, however, before the reader. The language for the parts about Fitzhugh Sound seems to belong to a class which will appear in the sequel under the name Hailtsa or Haeetsuk. The numerals, however, have this peculiarity, viz. they end in the syllable -_kum_. And this is what, in one specimen, at least, two of the Black foot terms do,

_English_, two. Fitzhugh Sound, _mal-skum_. Hailtsuk, _maluk_. Blackfoot, _nartoke-skum_.

_English_, three. Fitzhugh Sound, _uta-skum_. Hailtsuk, _yutuk_. Blackfoot, _nahoke-skum_.

What, however, if this syllable-_skum_ be other than true Blackfoot; _i. e._ what if the numerals were taken from the mouth of a _Hailtsa_ Indian? The possibility of this must be borne in mind. With this remark upon the similarity of ending between _one specimen_ of Blackfoot numerals and the Hailtsa dialect of Fitzhugh Sound, we may take leave of the Algonkin class of tongues and pass on to--

IV. THE ATHABASKAN GROUP.--The vast size of the area over which the Athabaskan tongues have spread themselves, has commanded less attention than it deserves. It should command attention if it were only for the fact of its touching both the Oceans--the Atlantic on the one side, the Pacific on the other. But this is not all. With the exception of the Eskimo, the Athabaskan forms of speech are the most northern of the New World; nay, as the Eskimos are, by no means, universally recognized as American, the Athabaskan area is, in the eyes of many, absolutely and actually the most northern portion of America--the most northern portion of America considered ethnologically or philologically, the Eskimo country being considered Asiatic. To say that the Athabaskan area extends from ocean to ocean, is to say that, as a matter of course, it extends to both sides of the Rocky Mountains. It is also to say that the Athabaskan family is common to both British and Russian America.

For the northern Athabaskans, the main body of the family, the philological details were, until lately, eminently scanty and insufficient. There was, indeed, an imperfect substitute for them in the statements of several highly trustworthy authors as to certain tribes who spoke a language allied to the Chepewyan, and as to others who did not;--statements which, on the whole, have been shown to be correct; statements, however, which required the confirmation of vocabularies. These have now been procured; if not to the full extent of all the details of the family, to an extent quite sufficient for the purposes of the philologue. They show that the most western branch of the stock, the Chepewyan proper, or the language of what Dobbs called the Northern Indians, is closely akin to that of the Dog-ribs, the Hare (or Slave) and the Beaver Indians, and that the Dahodinni, called from their warlike habits the Mauvais Monde, are but slightly separated from them. Farther west a change takes place, but not one of much importance. Interpreters are understood with greater difficulty, but still understood.

The Sikani and Sussi tongues are known by specimens of considerable length and value, and these languages, lying as far south as the drainage of the Saskatshewan, and as far west as the Rocky Mountains, are, and have been for some years, known as Athabaskan.

Then came the Takulli of New Caledonia, of whose language there was an old sample procured by Harmon. This was the Nagail, or Chin Indian of Mackenzie, or nearly so. Now, _Nagail_ I hold to be the same word as _Takull-i_, whilst _Chin_ is _Tshin_ = _Dinne_ = _Tnai_ = _Atna_ = _Knai_ = _Man_. The Takulli division falls into no less than eleven (?) minor sections; all of which but one end in this root, viz.-_tin_.

1. The Tau-_tin_, or Talko-_tin_. (?) 2. The Tsilko-_tin_ or Chilko-_tin_, perhaps the same word in a different dialect. 3. The Nasko-_tin_. 4. The Thetlio-_tin_. 5. The Tsatsno-_tin_. 6. The Nulaau-_tin_. 7. The Ntaauo-_tin_. 8. The Natliau-_tin_. 9. The Nikozliau-_tin_. 10. The Tatshiau-_tin_, and 11. The Babin Indians.

Sir John Richardson, from vocabularies procured by him during his last expedition, the value of which is greatly enhanced by his ethnological chapter on the characteristics of the populations which supplied them, has shown, what was before but suspected, that the Loucheux Indians of Mackenzie River are Athabaskan; a most important addition to our knowledge. Now, the Loucheux are a tribe known under many names; under that of the Quarrellers, under that of the Squinters, under that of the Thycothe and Digothi. Sir John Richardson calls them Kutshin, a name which we shall find in several compounds, just as we found the root-_tin_ in the several sections of the Takulli, and as we shall find its modified form _dinni_ among the eastern Athabascans. The particular tribes of the Kutshin division, occupants of either the eastern frontier of Russian America, or the north-western parts of the Hudson's Bay Territory, are (according to the same authority) as follows: