OE RED INDIANS OF NEWFOUNDLAND. 169 



members of oue tribe can with a little trouble uuderstaud those of another. But between 

 them and the Beothik the difference is so great that only a philologist can trace any 

 resemblance, and that in a few words. To the Micmacs the Beothiks were so utterly unin- 

 telligible that one, asked about the speech of the latter, said : " No talkee, all same dog 

 bow wow wow." Dr. Eaud, a thorough Micmac scholar, and no mean philologist, could 

 not trace any alliuity between the two languages. Dr. Latham himself, after giving a 

 table of affinities between the Beothik and ether Algonkin dialects. (' Proceedings of the 

 Philological Society, 1850,') appends the statement that Beothik was certainly not Micmac. 

 All this goes to show that the Beothiks were not of the same migration with the Eastern 

 Algonkins ; that they must have been a much older race. This is admitted by all. 



As to the affinity which Dr. Campbell finds between Beothik words and those of the 

 older New England and Creo languages, if they indicate unity in their origin, they indi- 

 cate long and wide separation. Dr. Latham, as we have seen, sets them down as " a 

 separate section" of the Algonkin race. Even in regard to this he expresses himself 

 somewhat doubtfully. He says merely (" Comp. Philology," p. 453) that the Beothik 

 language " was akin to the languages of the ordinary American Indians, rather than to 

 the Eskimo, farther investigation showing that, of the ordinary American langitages, it 

 was Algonkin rather than aught else." 



It is to be observed that Mr. Gatschet had better opportunities for investigation than 

 his predecessors, having access to additional vocabularies and having the old one cor- 

 rected. He has examined the question as thoroughly as the materials at his command 

 will permit. He finds in Beothik words undoubtedly Algonkin, biit as they were on 

 friendly relations with the Algonquins of Labrador, he thinks that they adopted the 

 names of tools, implements and articles of exchange from the latter. Other Beothik 

 vvords which resemble Algonkin ones of similar significations he regards as having no 

 real affinity, and, as we have seen, adduces very strong reasons for his conclusion that 

 they were separate races. The case that he presents is undoubtedly strong, and yet the 

 list ofcognate words in the Beothik and various Algonkin tongues sent me by Dr. Campbell 

 seems to show a real though distant affinity between them. But whether they are a sepa- 

 rate section of the Algonkin race, or a separate race in whose language traces of affinity are 

 so faint as to indicate only an older relationship, we still have a peculiar people, oue that, 

 like Israel of old, dwelt apart among the nations. If any affinity at all can be traced, it 

 is with the Northern Algonkins, who embrace the Crées and, some say, the Blackfeet in 

 the west, and many tribes on to Labrador in the east. Going farther back. Dr. Camp- 

 bell's view of their affinity with the Malayo-Polyuesian race is at least probable, and put- 

 ting this and all these circitmstauces together we may read, at least partially, their early 

 history.' Passing from island to island, they cross the Pacific in canoes, of which perhaps 

 those last used in Newfoundland were a memory till they strttck the continent. For 

 some reason, probably from the power of races more to the south, they were directed to 

 the north. Here they formed the first wave of an emigration across the continent, between 



' Since this was written I have received another communication from Dr. Campbell, written after he had had 

 an opportunity of examining a fuller vocabulary of the language, in which ho reiterates his view of the Beothiks 

 being a branch of the AUonkin race, and supports it by comparative lists of words in Beothik and other lan- 

 guages spoken by that race. He also sends a similar list of words in various INIalayo- Polynesian tongues. 



Sec. II, 1891. 22. 



