392 REMARKS AND OPINIONS. 



letters, and the indifference of some others, are 

 not easily to be recognized. The number of 

 them daily increases, and they supersede the native 

 words. * 



The language of religion in the Sandwich islands 

 is a peculiar one, different from the one now spo- 

 ken, which the common man does not understand ; 

 it is probably the ancient uncorrupted language of 

 the people, and ought to be one of the first ob- 

 jects of the scientific researches of the philosopher 

 whom fate allows a longer stay in these islands. 

 The accounts of Otaheite coincide t with this, 

 and perhaps it was by means of this more ancient 

 religious language that Tupia, who was one of the 

 learned, understood the New Zealanders, since 

 other, common people of his nation did not suc- 

 ceed like him. 



* The letters r, I and n, k and t, are of the same value. 

 Examples of such words are, kau-kau, Chinese, tschau-tschau, 

 for paini, to eat. Pane-pane, Chinese for a'ini, coitus, which 

 foreign word seems to be euphemical, as, notwithstand- 

 ing the general want of shame, decent Maolons avoid the 

 other. 



Pihi, English, fish, for haitna, fish. 



Neipa, English, knife. 



Pikenene, Spanish pequeno for k'dea, small. We are sur- 

 prised at finding the same word again, not only in New Zealand 

 (Nicholas) but also among those published as Greenland words 

 by Bernard O'Reilly, (Greenland, the adjacent Seas, and the 

 North-west Passage,) London, 1818. 



f We refer to the testimony of Mr. Marin, of whom we 

 shall speak below. 



