In Honduras, according to Colonel Galindo, the Indians are extinct; and as no specimen of their language has been preserved from the time of their existence as a people, that state is a blank in philology.

So also are San Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica; in all of which there are native Indians, but native Indians who speak Spanish. Whether this implies the absolute extinction of the native tongue is uncertain: it is only certain that no specimens of it are known.

The Indian of the Moskito coast is known; and that through both vocabularies and grammars. It is a remarkably unaffiliated language—more so than any one that I have ever compared. Still, it has a few miscellaneous affinities; just enough to save it from absolute isolation. When we remember that the dialects with which it was conterminous are lost, this is not remarkable. Probably it represents a large class, i. e. that which comprised the languages of Central America not allied to the Maya, and the languages of New Grenada.

Between the Moskito country and Quito there are only two vocabularies in the Mithridates, neither of which extends far beyond the numerals. One is that of the dialects of Veragua called Darien, and collected by Wafer; the other the numerals of the famous Muysca language of the plateau of Santa Fé de Bogota. With these exceptions, the whole philology of New Grenada is unknown, although the old missionaries counted the mutually unintelligible tongues by the dozen or score. More than one modern author—the present writer amongst others—has gone so far as to state that all the Indian languages of New Grenada are extinct.

Such is not the case. The following vocabulary, which in any other part of the world would be a scanty one, is for the parts in question of more than average value. It is one with which I have been kindly favoured by Dr. Cullen, and which represents the language of the Cholo Indians inhabiting part of the Isthmus of Darien, east of the river Chuquanaqua, which is watered by the river Paya and its branches in and about lat. 8° 15´ N., and long. 77° 20´ W.:—

English.Cholo.
Waterpayto
Firetŭboor
Sunpesea
Moonhedecho
Treepachru
Leaveschītŭha
Housedhĕ
Manmochĭna
Womanwuĕna
Childwōrdōchĕ
Thunderpā
Canoe, or}habodrooma
Chingo
Tiger, i.e. jaguarimāmă
Leon, i.e. large tigerimāmă pooroo
Riverthō
River Tuyratōgŭrooma
Large manmochĭnā dĕăsīra
Little manmochĭnā zache
An iguanaipōga
Lizardhorhe
Snaketamā
Turkey, wildzāmo
Parrotcarre
Guacharaca birdbulleebullee
Guaca birdpavōra
Lazimbatoosee
The tide is risingtobiroooor
The tide is fallingeribudo
Where are you goingamonya
Whence do you comezamabima zebuloo
Let us gowonda
Let us go bathewondo cuide

The extent to which they differ from the languages of Venezuela and Colombia may be seen from the following tables of the words common to Dr. Cullen's list, and the equally short ones of the languages of the Orinoco:—

Englishwater
Cholopayto
Quichuaunu
Omaguauni
Salivicagua
Maypureueru
Ottomacaia
Betoiocudù
Yarurauvi
Dariendulah
Caribtouna
Englishfire
Cholotŭboor
Quichuanina
Omaguatata
Saliviegustà
Maypurecalti
Ottomacanùa
Betoifului
Yaruracoride
Caribonato
Englishsun
Cholopesea
Quichuainti
Omaguahuarassi
Salivinumesechecoco
Maypurechiè
Betoiteo-umasoi
Yarurado
Muyscasuâ
Caribveiou
Englishmoon
Cholohedecho
Quichuaquilla
Omaguayase
Arawakcattehee
Yaruragoppe
Betoiteo-ro
Maypurechejapi
Salivivexio
Dariennie
Zamucaketokhi
Englishman
Cholomohina
Quichuaccari
——runa
Salivicocco
Maypurecajarrachini
——mo
Ottomacaandera
Yaturapumè
Muyscamuysca
——cha
Cariboquiri
Englishwoman
Cholowuĕna
Quichuahuarmi
Maypuretinioki
Yaruraibi
——ain
Betoiro
Ottomacaondua

NOTE.