25 



Now there are many forms, which have been considered in the 

 foregoing chapters, which can be brought into all the moods and 

 voices of Table II., Appendix. There are 30 at the least which 

 can be thus regularly conjugated, that means, from one mood can 

 be made 9,000 different phrases. There are others again which 

 can only be used in some moods and tenses, forming about GOO 

 phrases, so that 9,600 expressions maybe derived from one mood. 

 Certainly there are some verbs which cannot be conjugated 

 regularly, but are more or less defective. For instance, " to eat " 

 cannot have either a Middle or a Reciprocal form ; but the tran- 

 sitive verbs generally can be brought into all moods and voices. 



Those mentioned do not embrace all, but they are those mostly 

 used. 



These pages do not profess to give a complete grammar of the 

 language, but merely such an outline as may give a general in- 

 dication of its structure. There are many expressions related 

 herein which would require a philologist to classify or properly 

 arrange, and any hints in this direction would be thankfully re- 

 ceived by the writer. 



Though it is scarcely worth while learning the language of 

 these tribes, as their number is small, and it would be much 

 easier at once for a missionary to teach them the English 

 language, yet how can this be done unless first their language is 

 understood ? For every English word must be first translated to 

 them, if they are to properly understand it. Experience has 

 shown that many of these natives can speak more or less English, 

 but when questioned as to the meaning of words, they either are 

 unable to answer, or else they give a wrong translation. For 

 instance, a young man, who gave to all questions put to him the 

 same stereotyped answer, " All right, my boy," most likely heard 

 this expression once from a white man, and thought it would 

 answer upon all occasions. This only shows how ignorant they 

 often are about the expressions they use, and how necessary it is 

 to learn first their language, though it demands a great expendi- 

 ture of labour, which, however, carries its own reward in a better 

 mutual understanding between teacher and pupil. 



