VI PREFACE. 



employed by the Nootkans of Vancouver Island, the Cliinoots of the 

 Columbia, and the intermediate tribes, to belong alike to their several 

 languages, and exhibit analogies between them accordingly.* On 

 this idea, among other points of fancied resemblance, he founded hia 

 family of Nootka-Columbians. — one which has been adopted by Drs. 

 Pritchard and Latham, and has caused very great misconception. 

 Not only are those languages entirely distinct, but the Nootkans 

 differ greatly in physical and mental characteristics from the latter. 

 The analogies between the Chinook and the other native contribu- 

 tors to the Jargon are given hereafter. 



The origin of this Jargon, a conventional language similar to tlie 

 Lingua Franca of the Mediterranean, the Negro-English-Dutch ot" 

 Surinam, the Pigeon English of China, and several other mixed 

 tongues, dates back to the fur droguers of the last century. Those 

 mariners whose enterprise in the fifteen years preceding 1800, explored 

 the intricacies of the northwest coast of America, picked up at their 

 general rendezvous, Nootka Sound, various native words useful in 

 barter, and thence transplanted them, with additions from the Eng- 

 lish, to the shores of Oregon. Even before their day, the coasting 

 trade and w^arlike expeditions of the northern tribes, themselves a sea- 

 faring race, had opened up a partial understanding of each other's 

 speech ; for when, in 1792, Vancouver's officers visited Gray's Harbor, 

 they found that the natives, though speaking a different language, 

 understood many words of the Nootka. 



On the arrival of Lewis and Clarke at the mouth of the Columbia, 

 in 1806, the new language, from the sentences given by them, had 

 evidently attained some form. It was with the arrival of x\stor's 

 party, however, that the Jargon received its principal impulse. 

 Many more words of English were then brought in, and for the first 

 time the French, or rather the Canadian and Missouri patois of the 

 French, was introduced. The principal seat of the company being at 

 Astoria, not only a large addition of Chinook words was made, but a 

 considerable number was taken from the Chihalis, who immediately 

 bordered that tribe on the north, — each owning a portion of Shoal- 

 w^ater Bay. The words adopted from the several languages were, 

 naturally enough, those most easily uttered by all, except, of course, 

 that objects new to the natives found their names in French or Eng- 

 lish, and such modifications were made in pronunciation as suited 

 tongues accustomed to different sounds. Thus the gutturals of the 



Journal Eoyal Gcograpliical" Society of London, vol. xi., 1841. 



