Okotoba 4, 1898.

    1. Pita
    2. Peter
    3. mido
    4. what
    5. ninu
    6. your
    7. ia
    8. word?
    9. ngai
    10. I
    11. nutane
    12. try
    13. ni
    14. you.
    15. ngözu
    16. My
    17. korkak
    18. heart
    19. mina
    20. truly
    21. köi
    22. big
    23. ubine
    24. wish
    25. mizi
    26. has
    27. nibeka
    28. for you.
    29. nid
    30. You
    31. lak
    32. again
    33. ngöna
    34. me
    35. iadu turane
    36. tell.
    37. wa
    38. Yes,
    39. sena
    40. that
    41. ngözu
    42. my
    43. ia
    44. word.
    45. Pita
    46. Peter
    47. ni
    48. you.
    49. iawa
    50. Good-bye.
    51. ngai
    52. I
    53. Magena.
    54. Magena.

Okotoba 4, 1898.

    1. Magena
    2. Magena
    3. ngai
    4. I
    5. iauturane
    6. tell
    7. ni
    8. you.
    9. ngai
    10. I
    11. lakökeda
    12. again same
    13. mina
    14. truly
    15. köi
    16. big
    17. ubine
    18. wish
    19. meka
    20. have
    21. nibeka
    22. for you.
    23. ngau
    24. My
    25. ia
    26. word
    27. kede
    28. thus
    29. mina
    30. true.
    31. mina
    32. True
    33. ubine
    34. wish
    35. meka
    36. have.
    37. wa
    38. Yes,
    39. matamina
    40. quite proper
    41. pibeka
    42. give
    43. a
    44. then
    45. ngaikika
    46. to me.
    47. wa
    48. Yes
    49. keda
    50. so.
    51. ni
    52. You
    53. Magena
    54. Magena.
    55. iawa
    56. Good-bye.
    57. ngai
    58. I
    59. Pita.
    60. Peter.

The following is Peter’s own translation of these letters:—

“Pita, what do you say? I try you. My heart he like very bad for you. You send me back a letter. Yes, this talk belong me. Pita, you. Good-bye. Me, Magena.”

“Magena, I make you know. Me just the same, I want very bad for you. My talk there. If you true like me, all right, just the same; good for you and good for me. Yes, all right. Finish. You, Magena. Good-bye. Me, Pita.”

One informant gave the following as a typical letter of proposal from a girl to a man. Ray has kindly literally translated this for me. I also add the native’s version of it.

    1. Kake[1]
    2. I say,
    3. ngau
    4. my
    5. ubi
    6. wish
    7. gar
    8. indeed
    9. ina
    10. this,
    11. mido
    12. (Sign of question)
    13. ni
    14. you
    15. ngaikika
    16. for me
    17. ubin
    18. wish
    19. meka
    20. have?
    21. wao
    22. Yes,
    23. mina
    24. true
    25. keda
    26. that
    27. ni
    28. you
    29. ngaikika
    30. for me
    31. ubin
    32. wish
    33. mizi
    34. have.
    35. ninu
    36. Your
    37. na
    38. if
    39. ia
    40. word
    41. mido
    42. what.
    43. wa
    44. Yes
    45. nagaikika
    46. to me
    47. modabia
    48. answer
    49. ngapa
    50. hither
    51. palanekai
    52. will write
    53. ubil
    54. wish
    55. za
    56. (thing)
    57. na
    58. if
    59. a
    60. and
    61. ubigil
    62. not wish
    63. za
    64. (thing)
    65. na
    66. if
    67. wa
    68. yes
    69. matakeda
    70. all-the-same
    71. minaasin
    72. finish
    73. sena
    74. that
    75. ngau
    76. my
    77. ia
    78. word,
    79. ngau
    80. my
    81. nel
    82. name.
    83. ⸺