The principle, in both, extends to verbs. The Delawares

The Delawares have yet another division of adjectives,

applicable to solids or to fluids.

In many of these languages, there is a singular contrivance to indicate the death of a person, without an explicit declaration of the fact. It is considered a delicate allusion to the subject, like the Roman vixit, which was used by that people for the same purpose. And strange indeed is it, that this . affectation of delicacy should be found among two nations in opposite hemispheres, one of whom could view with pleasure the revolting spectacles in their gladiatorial arenæ, and the other could commit atrocities, which make the blood run cold, VOL. XXII.-No. 50.

11

while they are related.

Neither of them could talk of death,

but both could behold it in its most horrid forms.

The addition of au in the Delaware, or of bun in the Chippewa, to any proper name, indicates with certainty, that the person mentioned is dead. Tecumthé au, Pontiac obun, (the o is inserted to aid the sound,) could not be misunderstood by an Indian. He would instantly perceive, that his once celebrated countrymen were dead. The syllables have no relation, however, to death. We are ignorant of the root of the Delaware suffix. The Chippewa bun is the invariable mark of the past tense, and is probably derived from Jaube, being.

And here it may not be uninteresting to correct an error, into which many of our philologists have fallen, that the verb to be, sum, is not found in any of our Indian languages. In the Miami it is in constant use, and there can be no mistake in its application.

I am.
Eshinekosearn.

In the Sioux it is,

Here I am.
Daang mangka.

He is.
Eshinekosit.

Mountain is yonder.
Kharkhar ka karkeear.

Mr Heckewelder is incorrect, in the answer he has given to the inquiry of Mr Duponceau, respecting the existence of words in the Indian languages, confined in their use to the different sexes. These sexual words are found in almost all the languages, and it would be considered highly indelicate for either sex to use the words appropriated to the other. The following words, in the different languages, are limited in their use by this principle.

It will be observed, that in these remarks, we have confined ourselves principally to the Delaware language; because our examination of Mr Heckewelder's work necessarily restricted the range of our inquiry. Nor have we any intention to detain our readers by a general investigation of Indian languages.*

We have already expressed our doubts, as to the classification adopted in that work; nor are we better satisfied with the synoptical view of the American languages, given by Adelung in his 'Survey of all the known Languages and their Dialects.' This work, and its predecessor, the Mithridates, to which Mr Duponceau acknowledges his obligations, are monuments of the zeal, industry, and erudition of their authors. But it is to be regretted, that the defective state of their materials has led them into so many errors, in their investigations of the languages of the North American Indians. It is impossible, from any vocabularies now existing, to arrange these languages into their respective families, separating the primitive stocks from one another, and connecting the affiliated dialects, without a personal and intimate knowledge of the various tribes. Their names have been so multiplied, by the ignorance and carelessness of travellers,

An analysis of Mr Heckewelder's work will be found in the North American Review, No. xxiv, for June, 1819.

that great caution is necessary in their application, lest exaggerated estimates be formed of the number of these communities.

The general geographical divisions, into which the tribes are separated, in the 'Survey' of Adelung, evince an ignorance of the features of the country, and of the situation of the Indians. The southern tribes, the Creeks, Choctaws, and others, are arranged with the Iroquois ; while the Northwestern Indians are connected with those of the Eastern and middle Atlantic coast; the general divisions thus crossing each other.

But the most important errors are found in the names of the tribes, and in the affinities of their dialects. The author has apparently proceeded, with the narrative of every traveller through the Indian country in his hand, and recorded the names as he found them; adjusting their connexion by their residence, by meagre vocabularies, or by the slight notices given of them. The same tribe, by these means, has different names and different associations; and a distinct appellation and peculiar dialect are given to every little local band. It is easy to conceive, that by this process, the number of the American languages may be swelled to twelve hundred and fourteen,' and, in fact, to any other which the pride of discovery may require.*

6

In the principal division (D,) subdivision (a,) and minor subdivision (4,) the Twightwees, or Miamies, are placed at the head of a family, which is divided into Ouyatonons and Illinois.

But the Miamies and Ouyatonons, properly Weweatanon, and now called Weas, are bands of the same tribe, without any perceptible difference in their dialects. The Illinois tribes are not now, nor were they ever, branches of the Miami family. There is reason to think, that at a remote period, the Miamies were nearly connected with some of these tribes. But it is difficult to ascertain with precision, who were included in the general designation of Illinois Indians. The name was given them at an early day, but it was rather descriptive of the country, which they occupied,

*For that part of Adelung's Survey, relating to the American languages, and referred to in the present remarks, see North American Review, for January, 1822. Vol. xiv. p. 135.

than of any natural association or political confederacy among its inhabitants. The Illinois tribes were stated by Charlevoix to be the Moingonas, the Peorias, the Tamarorias, the Coaquias, and the Kaskaskias. But Bossu considers the Peorias, as allies only of the Illinois. Adelung includes in the Illinois family the Kaskaskias, the Cahokias, the Piorias, the Kasquias,' (but another name for the Kaskaskias) 'the Mitchigamies, the Piank ashaws, the Kikapoos, the Poteouatamies, Pottawatameh, or Pattawottomi, the Outaouas, and the Chaû

nis.'

Now the Kikapoos, written Kickapoos, and the Chaûnis, written Shawanos, Sawanno, Shawnee, an identity of which the author appears wholly ignorant, had already formed his second and third subdivisions, and preceded the Miamies in this general division. But they are here classed as tribes of one of the families of that nation.

The most unpardonable negligence alone could arrange the Kickapoos, the Potawatamies, the Ottawas, and the Shawnese, as members of the Illinois confederacy. Their separate existence, as independent communities, is coeval with our earliest knowledge of the Indians, and they are all well known and important tribes. And what is still worse, the Potawatamies, written Poüteoüatami, are, (in division D. c. 1. d. ee,) placed as a branch of the Algonquin family. The Ouyatanons, already classed with the Miamies, are reintroduced under the name Ojatinon, (ff) as a separate tribe. And the Miamies themselves again make their appearance, under the name Oumami (a a) in a very subordinate situation.

In the subdivision, to which we have last alluded, the Outagamies, (cc) the Malomimis, (dd) and the Sakis, (g g) are classed with the others as affiliated tribes. But they had been before arranged, in the preceding general division, (B. c.) with slight orthographical variations. They are there called Sakies, or Saukis, Ottogamies, and Menomenes, or Folle Avoine.

This association is, in any analysis of the Indian languages, erroneous. The language of the Menomonies cannot be understood by the Sacs and Foxes, (Saukies and Ottogamies.) Whether the former speak an Algonquin dialect, or a primitive language, is a question not yet settled. But the fact is