We were not able to acquire a perfect idea of their method of dividing time; but observed, that in speaking of it, either past or to come, they never used any term but Malama, which signifies Moon. Of these moons they count thirteen, and then begin again; which is a demonstration that they have a notion of the solar year: but how they compute their months so that thirteen of them shall be commensurate with the year, we could not discover; for they say that each month has twenty-nine days, including one in which the moon is not visible. They have names for them separately, and have frequently told us the fruits that would be in season, and the weather that would prevail, in each of them; and they have indeed a name for them collectively, though they use it only when they speak of the mysteries of their religion.
Every day is subdivided into twelve parts, each of two hours, of which six belong to the day, and six to the night. At these divisions they guess pretty nearly by the height of the sun while he is above the horizon; but there are few of them that can guess at them, when he is below it, by the stars.
In numeration they proceed from one to ten, the number of fingers on both hands; and though they have for each number a different name, they generally take hold of their fingers one by one, shifting from one hand to the other till they come to the number they want to express. And in other instances, we observed that, when they were conversing with each other, they joined signs to their words, which were so expressive that a stranger might easily apprehend their meaning.
In counting from ten they repeat the name of that number, and add the word more; ten, and one more, is eleven; ten, and two more, twelve: and so of the rest, as we say one and twenty, two and twenty. When they come to ten and ten more, they have a new denomination, as we say a score; and by these scores they count till they get ten of them, when they have a denomination for two hundred; and we never could discover that they had any denomination to express a greater number: neither, indeed, do they seem to want any; for ten of these amount to two thousand, a greater number than they can ever apply.
In measuring distance they are much more deficient than in computing numbers, having but one term, which answers to fathom; when they speak of distances from place to place, they express it, like the Asiatics, by the time that is required to pass it.
Their language is soft and melodious; it abounds with vowels, and we easily learnt to pronounce it: but found it exceedingly difficult to teach them to pronounce a single word of ours; probably not only from its abounding in consonants, but from some peculiarity in its structure; for Spanish and Italian words, if ending in a vowel, they pronounced with great facility.
Whether it is copious, we were not sufficiently acquainted with it to know; but it is certainly very imperfect, for it is almost totally without inflexion, both of nouns and verbs. Few of the nouns have more than one case, and few of the verbs more than one tense; yet we found no great difficulty in making ourselves mutually understood, however strange it may appear in speculation.
They have, however, certain affixa, which, though but few in number, are very useful to them, and puzzled us extremely. One asks another, Harre hea? “Where are you going?” The other answers, Ivahinera, “To my wives;” upon which the first, repeating the answer interrogatively, “To your wives?” is answered, Ivahinereira; “Yes, I am going to my wives.” Here the suffixa era and eira save several words to both parties.
I have inserted a few of their words, from which, perhaps, some idea may be formed of the language.
| Pupo, | the head. |
| Ahewh, | the nose. |
| Roourou, | the hair. |
| Outou, | the mouth. |
| Niheo, | the teeth. |
| Arrero, | the tongue. |
| Meu-eumi, | the beard. |
| Tiarraboa, | the throat. |
| Tuamo, | the shoulders. |
| Tuah, | the back. |
| Oama, | the breast. |
| Eu, | the nipples. |
| Oboo, | the belly. |
| Rema, | the arm. |
| Vaee, | wild plantains. |
| Oporema, | the hand. |
| Manneow, | the fingers. |
| Mieu, | the nails. |
| Touhe, | the buttocks. |
| Hoouhah, | the thighs. |
| Avia, | the legs. |
| Tapoa, | the feet. |
| Booa, | a hog. |
| Moa, | a fowl. |
| Euree, | a dog. |
| Eure-eure, | iron. |
| Ooroo, | bread-fruit. |
| Hearee, | cocoa-nuts. |
| Mia, | bananas. |
| Poe, | beads. |
| Poe matawewwe, | pearl. |
| Ahou, | a garment. |
| Avee, | a fruit like apples. |
| Ahee, | another like chesnuts. |
| Ewharre, | a house. |
| Whennua, | a high island. |
| Motu, | a low island. |
| Toto, | blood. |
| Aeve, | bone. |
| Aeo, | flesh. |
| Mae, | fat. |
| Tuea, | lean. |
| Huru-huru, | hair. |
| Eraow, | a tree. |
| Ama, | a branch. |
| Tiale, | a flower. |
| Huero | fruit. |
| Etummoo, | the stem. |
| Aaa, | the root. |
| Eiherre, | herbaceous plants. |
| Ooopa, | a pigeon. |
| Avigne, | a paroquet. |
| A-a, | another species. |
| Mannu, | a bird. |
| Mora | a duck. |
| Mattow, | a fish-hook. |
| Toura, | a rope. |
| Mow, | a shark. |
| Mahi-mahi, | a dolphin. |
| Mattera, | a fishing-rod. |
| Eupea, | a net. |
| Mahanna, | the sun. |
| Malama, | the moon. |
| Whettu, | a star. |
| Whettu-euphe, | a comet. |
| Erai, | the sky. |
| Eatta, | a cloud. |
| Miti, | good. |
| Eno, | bad. |
| A, | yes. |
| Ima, | no. |
| Paree, | ugly. |
| Paroree, | hungry. |
| Pia, | full. |
| Timahah, | heavy. |
| Mama, | light. |
| Poto, | short. |
| Roa, | tall. |
| Nehenne, | sweet. |
| Mala-mala, | bitter. |
| Whanno, | to go far. |
| Harre, | to go. |
| Arrea, | to stay. |
| Enoho, | to remain. |
| Rohe rohe, | to be tired. |
| Maa, | to eat. |
| Inoo, | to drink. |
| Ete, | to understand. |
| Warrido, | to steal. |
| Worridde, | to be angry. |
| Teparahi, | to beat. |