Briaton.] ^^ [Feb. i>, 



been usually explained by a supposed extensive infusion of Spanish 

 blood when their ancestors captured the city of Logrofio in 1599 

 and carried off the white women as wives. More probably they 

 share, with the Yurucares, Tacanas and other Andean nations, the 

 peculiarity of a complexion several shades lighter than that of the 

 Kechuas and Aymaras. 



They have been little influenced by European visitors. A recent 

 authority states that there are scarcely a hundred and fifty Christian 

 families in the whole of the immense province of Canolos, a part of 

 which they inhabit, and the area of which is more than 8000 square 

 leagues.* 



The sources which I have had at command are two MSS. in the 

 British Museum, the name of the author not given, but from some 

 remarks probably a German Jesuit, who was a missionary to the 

 tribe towards the close of the last century. 



The titles are : 



" Vocabulario en la Lengua Castellana, la del Ynga, y Xebera." 

 Small 8vo, fol. 35. The vocabulary embraces about 1300 words, 

 and is apparently complete. 



'' Gramatica de la Letigua Xebera^ Same size. This MS. is 

 imperfect, leaves being lacking both at the beginning and the end. 



From these MSS. I have prepared the following sketch of this 

 tongue. 



Phonetics. 



The sounds of the language are described as difficult to a 

 European and fluctuating in character. The indistinct and alter- 

 nating nature of certain phonetic elements appears in the Jivaro as 

 in so many American tongues. 



In vowel sounds, the is often confounded with the u, the e with 

 the /, and the e with the ce, which is like the German o. The com- 

 plex vowel sound represented by ou, as in poung, fire, is especially 

 difficult for a foreigner. The vowels a and 0, when followed by i, 

 are often elided. 



The consonants^, /, rand h are frequently alternated (that is, 

 the one sound may be used at will for the other), or an indistinct 

 sound is uttered, which may approach any one of them. The ;/ is 



* So says Father Magalli, above quoted, but the knowledge of this writer falls far short 

 of what is requisite when he adds of the Jivaros and Japaros, " lis parlent tous la meme 

 langue, le Quichua " {!). 



