44 JfUMERAL SYSTEMS. 



In counting j^K/i, hooks, the}" use still a different set of numerals, 

 which were not recollected. It would appear further that stones, 

 birds, and days were counted by the same numerals as cocoa- 

 nuts, and men and women by those employed to enumerate fish. 



Mr. Hale, in the "Ethnography, &c., of the U. S. Exploring 

 Expedition," copies Holden's vocabulary, which is also appended 

 to a narrative of -his captivity, published at Boston. 



Dr. L. H. Gulick, in his notes on the Grammar of the Ponape 

 dialect (12mo. Honolulu, 1858, pp. 39), states that "the enume- 

 ration of all objects is alike as far as nine, after which there is a 

 singular variety." The difference is in — 



" I. The mode of counting all animated objects, and all kinds 

 of sticks and timbers, and everything that to a native is connected 

 in idea with separate sticks, as trees, canoes, &c. 



" II. The enumeration of yams, taro, and a few of the most 

 costly articles. 



" III. The numbering of cocoanuts, bread-fruits, eggs, shells, 

 stones, &c., in fact, probably, of all common, least valued objects, 

 not included under the first head." 



Examples are given, not necessary to repeat here, as also of 

 peculiarities in the numerative particles. 



The Island of Ponape, Paanopa, or, as written by ]\Ir. Hale, 

 Bonabe, is one of the central islands of JMicrouesia. That gen- 

 tleman gives also a vocabulary of the language of Taputeoua, in 

 the Kingsmill group, one of the most eastern, and separated 

 from Tobi by 2600 miles. Speaking of the numerals, he says 

 that the natives furnished the expedition wnth several sets or 

 classes, which he conjectured were used in counting objects of 

 different kinds, though he had no means of obtaining from them 

 any explanation. There were five of them in all, and all given 

 in the digits, or from one to ten. — Eth. of Ex. Exp. p. 440. 



Leaving Micronesia for Polynesia, Mr. Hale states that some 

 of the terms for the higher numbers are only used in counting 

 particular articles. For four, the Hawaiians, for instance, have 

 two terms, ha and tauna. For forty, they have tanaha, iato, and 

 ta'au. The first of these, tanaha, is the general term; iato is 

 used in counting pieces of tapa (native cloth), and ta^ait in count- 

 ing fish. (lb. p. 2.50.) 



It is remarkable that thus, in Tobi and Taputeoua, the dis- 

 tinction should extend to all the digits ; and in Ponape, wliich 



