i882. 59 Trans. N. Y. Ac. Set. 



past summer, added to the catalogue of Indian Linguistics, being edited 

 by Mr. Pilling at Washington. 



The black-board illustrations show the extreme length of some of the 

 words, and, in their dissection, illustrate their marvelous composition. 



For example, the following shows how the accidents of an Indian 

 verb may affect its length, to the extent of producing in one word a 

 very complicated phrase, viz. : 



Le-con-Tvd-ti-at-d-wzt-se-ra-h-ni-non-se-ron-m-Sii-tSn-ha-tz-es. — 43 



letters, 21 syllables. « 



The translation of this word is as follows : 



Sotne one has jttst come here expressly to buy again all kinds of 

 clothes with that {niofiey). — 66 letters, 20 syllables. 



There is in this verb, ist, the relation of the third person indefinite 

 to the third masculine. 



2d. Composition of the verb, ni-non {to buy), with the noun, d-ti-dt- 

 a-wit (clothes?) 



3d. Final relative, {to buy for some one). 



4th. Movement, se-ron {come to buy). 



5th. Frequentation, ni-on. 



6th. Causality, tdfi, added to the perfect. 



7th. Reduplication and locality, together denoted by te before the 

 person. 



8th. Transition, ha-ti-e, added to the perfect of the verb, denoting 

 the transition from one place or one state to another, or the progress of 

 the same state or action. This word is of unusual length. 



What the possibilities of this group were, we can at present only con- 

 jecture, and should hasten to preserve them with all their hidden lore, 

 ere they have been forever displaced by that more rapid vehicle of 

 thought, the English language. 



Discussion. 



Bishop Stimpson, of Ontario, Canada, confirmed the general ac- 

 curacy of Mrs. Smith's observations. He stated also, that at 

 Rice Lake, opposite Rochester, one of the tribes resident there, 

 which still refuses to accept Christianity, had come originally from 

 the Mohawk Valley, in New York. 



In reply to enquiries of Prof. O. P. Hubbard, Mrs. Smith stated 

 that the league of the Six Tribes probably occurred over 300 years 

 ago, but the date was uncertain. Contrary to a general opinion, 



