442 APPENDIX. 



from a noun, and was incapable of translating the simplest sen- 

 tence literally. Besides his ignorance, he was so great a liar that 

 I never knew when to believe him. He sometimes told the In- 

 dians the reverse of what I said, and often told me the reverse of 

 what they said. 



XXIV. 



Examination of the Elementary Structure of the Algonquin Language 

 as it appears in the Chip)peiija Tongue. By Henry E. School- 



CKAFT. 



INTRODUCTORY NOTE. 



Sault Ste. Marie, May 31, 1823. 



Sir : In order to answer your inquiries, I have improved my 

 leisure hours, during the part of the summer following our arrival 

 here (6th July last), and the entire winter and spring, in examining 

 the words and forms of expression of the Chippewa, or (as the 

 Indians pronounce it) Odjibwa, tongue, I have found, as I anti- 

 cipated-, my most efficient aid, in this inquiry, in Mr. Johnston, 

 and the several members of his intelligent family ; my public in- 

 terpreter being too unprecise and profoundly ignorant of the rules 

 of grammar to be of much use in the investigation. Mr. John- 

 ston, as you are aware, perhaps, came from the north of Ireland, 

 where his connections are highly respectable, during the first 

 term of General Washington's administration. He brought letters 

 from high sources to the Governor-Greneral of Canada; but hav- 

 ing, while at Montreal, fallen in with Don Andrew Tod, a coun- 

 tryman, who had the monopoly of the fur trade of Louisiana, in 

 a spirit of enterprise and adventure, he threw himself into that, 

 at the time, fascinating pursuit, and visited Michilimackinac. 

 Circumstances determined him to fix his residence at St. Mary's, 

 where he has resided, making frequent visits to Montreal and 

 Great Britain, about thirty years. His children have been care- 

 fully instructed in the English language and literature, and the 

 whole family are familiar with the Indian. "Without such profi- 

 cient aid, I should have labored against serious impediments at 

 every step ; and, with them, I have found the inquiry, in a philo- 

 logical point of view, involved in many, and some of them insuper- 

 able difficulties. The results I communicate to you, rather as an 



