186 SYSTEMS OF CONSANGUINITY AND AFFINITY 



tains, upon the south branch of the Cohiinbia River. If we may adopt this tradi- 

 tion, the truth of which is not improbable, it suggests the probability that the 

 separation of the Crows from the Minnitarees antedates the conquest of Mexico. 

 In the course of events the Crows have again become territorial neighbors to their 

 former brethren. 



The dialects of the two nations are not yet sufficiently changed to prevent them 

 from conversing with each other, although it is attended with considerable diffi- 

 culty. The amount of change is about the same, or perhaps greater, than the 

 divergence of the Wyandote from the Iroquois after a separation, in the latter case 

 of at least four centuries. If these dates could be authenticated absolutely, they 

 would afford some criterion, now greatly desired, for determining the degree of 

 rapidity or sloAvness with which the dialects of unwritten languages depart from 

 each othcr.^ 



' At different times and places I have endeavored to obtain facts bearing upon this question, 

 where the means of observation of particular persons, in the Indian Country, had been favorable. 

 The results of the investigation have not furnished a basis upon which any general rule ruay be 

 grounded, but they may serve in some measure to illustrate the subject. The testimony of Robert 

 Meldrum, above mentioned, is to the point concerning the Crow language. In the year 1827, he 

 became identified with this nation by adoption and marriage, and in 1830 he was raised to the rank 

 of a chirf. Although one of the traders of the American Fur Company, he joined the Crows in 

 their military adventures, shared their hardships, and became in every respect one of their number. 

 During the entire period from 182T to 1862, when I met him at the mouth of the Yellowstone, he 

 had resided in the Crow Country, but without losing his connection with the Company, first as a 

 trader, and afterwards as one of the factors in charge of different posts. He had mastered the lan- 

 guage in its entire range, thought in it, held his knowledge in it, performed his mental labor in it, 

 and, as he affirmed, could speak the language better than his native tongue. His observations were 

 as follows : that the Crow and Minnitaree had not widened much in the last thirty-five years ; that 

 many of the words of the Minnitaree dialect he did not understand ; but of most of them he could 

 catch the meauiug; that the first noticeable change was in the loss of a syllable, and sometimes of 

 half of a word ; that the principal element of change was the addition of new words with the pro- 

 gress of their knowledge or wants ; that this had been particularly the case since their intercourse 

 with the whites commenced ; that the old words stood well, but the new ones made for the occasion 

 fluctuated, and might or might not become permanently adopted ; that he had himself added quite a 

 number to the Crow language (Ah-ha'-sha below is a specimen), that the new words were developed 

 from radicals in the language, and were usually significant, while the etymological signification of 

 the bulk of the old words was lost, e. g. 



Corn, H6-harshe, meaning lost, Coffee, Min-ne-she-pit'-ta, Black water. 



Bean, Ah-raa'-sa, " " Sugar, Bat-see-koo'-a, Sweet. 



Squash, Ho'-ko-ma " " Tea, Ma-nii'-pa, Leaves of bushes. 



Tobacco, O'-pa " " Watch, Ah-ha'-sha, Follows the sun. 



That the new words were not limited to new objects brought to their attention by American inter- 

 course, but followed the extension of their own knowledge and wants ; that the gutturals when mas- 

 tered so far from being objectionable were a source of pleasure in the use of the speech ; and finally 

 that the Crow was a noble language. He further observed that the Minnitarees could adopt and 

 speak the Crow dialect with much more facility than the Crows could the former ; that when he 

 wished to converse with a Minnitaree he induced the latter to talk poor Crow, rather than attempt 

 himself to speak poor Minnitaree ; and finally that the amount of dialectical variation was such that 



