ON THE NORTH-WESTERN TRIBES OF CANADA. 863 



3f aiui qa ti-n'-m, I have seen your country (often). 

 hin qa taiuV-g-en, I was drinking (water). 

 ara hliva dan-r'ii a'sr, it has been snowing. 

 diig 1VU stu'n-?n, it has been raining'. 

 a wit dug gan-c'n, the sun was shining. 



Besides this, I found the following perfect forms : 



ate yc qa sine', I have done it. 

 (dc ran) at qoa qa, I have eaten. 

 {de) qa tana', I have drunk. 



To eat, perfect. 



Singular, 1st person, at qoa qa. Plural, 1st person, at n-u to ra qa. 



„ 2nd „ at l ra qa. „ 2nd „ at in ra qa. 



.. 3rd „ at wu ra qa. „ 3rd „ has at ivu ra qa. 



It seems that this form agrees with Wemiaminov's perfect tense. It must be 

 stated that in many instances the imperfect characteristic is dropped, and that thus 

 a form originates which is identical with the present tense. The inflexion of aqto, 

 to know, is of interest regarding this point. 



Singular, 1st person, qa aqto. Plural, 1st person, to ra aqto. 



2nd „ I ra aqto. „ 2nd „ irl ra aqto. 



„ 3rd „ a ra aqto. „ 3rd „ has a ra aqto. 



This shows that the verb is evidently the perfect, I have heard, and ra appears to 

 be the particle expressing a completed action (see p. 860). 



The future tense is characterised by hug-, which is placed between the object and 

 the subject. 



at hug- qa tana', I am going to drink. ye k-vg- qoa sine', I shall do it. 



(qat) kvg- qa god, I shall go. (de) kvg- qua god, I shall go. 



k-vg- qoa aq, I shall hear it. k-ng- qoa ten, l shall leave. 



a/re k-vg- ra don, it is going to snow. dag k-vg- svtd'n, it is going to rain. 

 re a Jrng- dag giin, the sun is going to 

 shine. 



To eat, future. 



Singular, 1st person, at kug- qa qa' Plural, 1st person, at kvg- to qa (gs). 



„ 2nd „ at kag- i qa (gs). „ 2nd „ at tug- rl qa (ge). 



.. 3rd „ at k-vg- qa (gs). „ 3rd „ has at k-vg- a qa. 



To see, future. 

 I shall see. You will see. 



J^e — (re) qat kdg- rl sete'n. 



you (re) I k-'qoa sete'n. — 



him (re) k-'qa sete'n. (re) k-' ri sete'n. 



us — (re) Jia /<■' rl sete'n. 



you (re) rl k-'qoa sete'n. — 



them (re) has k-'qoa sete'n. (re) has kag- rl sete'n. 



It seems that k-ug- is sometimes abbreviated, and in other instances asssumes the 

 form kag-. The initial re is not necessary for forming the plural. Xye (see p. 861) 

 is very frequently used in connection with future forms. 



iNTEREOeATIVE. 



The interrogative is formed by the particle agE, which is attached to the verb, but 

 in case the latter is accompanied by an adverb it follows the latter. 



Intransitive Verb. 



To be sick, present. 



Singular, 1st person, qat ra nek' ags ? Plural, 1st person, ha ra nek' age? 

 » 2nd „ I ra nek' ags ? „ 2nd „ rl ra nek' agn ? 



3rd ra nek' ags? „ 3rd „ has ra net ags ? 



