THE DICTIONARY OF EFATE. 11 



differentiate them for the benefit of others who must rely upon his 

 accuracy.* 



No one can regret more than I the necessity under which I lie to 

 pass such comments as those which have preceded. Yet let it be 

 well understood that they are by no means conclusions superficially 

 drawn. The difficulties mentioned have been encountered by me in 

 no mere casual glance at the work, but have arisen to hamper me 

 in my close study to learn this language from the material here 

 afforded. How close this study has been will be shown in the follow- 

 ing discussions, in which it will appear that the words have been 

 analyzed down to the very letters of which they are composed. 



Despite these great drawbacks, despite a still greater fault yet to 

 be discussed, I would not recede from the characterization which I 

 have presented and which I have reiterated. Imperfect as it proves 

 itself to be, Dr. Macdonald's dictionary is amply the most valuable 

 contribution to our knowledge of any speech of Melanesia. 



*Even as these pages are passing to print I am in opportune receipt of a letter from 

 Captain Rason, until quite recently British commissioner in the New Hebrides. This 

 letter affords us valuable information upon this very point and not ungracefully mani- 

 fests the writer's true kindness of heart. 



"I wish to explain as soon as possible, if possible in time for your book, the inner 

 meaning of Dr. Macdonald's muddle. When the missionaries established themselves on 

 Efate" he was in Havannah Harbor, and natives who first became Christians left their 

 villages and came to the mission station for protection. Thus the language of the mis- 

 sion station became a medley of all the dialects around. This gradually coalesced into 

 a special dialect which became a lingua franca with the natives and was partially under- 

 stood by all. As the heathen natives died out or became Christian the mission language 

 was claimed as the language of the island. Then the Bible was translated into this 

 language and Dr. Macdonald wrote a dictionary of it as if the missionary language was 

 the original language of the various villages before they were Christian. The poor man 

 only deceived himself and is now deceiving others, but it is not wilful scientific dishonesty. 

 I should like him cleared of that. It is a case of self-deception." 



