133 
The 4 words marked # have 
some analogy with the English, 
through remote courses as usual, 
equal to 12 per cent, of mutual 
This language is totally new to 
the learned, it is found in none 
of the great philological works. 
It is stated by Lewis to differ 
widely from the Minitari, allies 
and neighbors of the Mandans, 
although a dialect of it; both 
are referred to the great Pakhi 
family of the North, themselves 
a branch of the Skereh or Pams 
group of nations and languages. 
But this surmise appears to me 
erroneous, I can see but little an- 
alogy with the Panis and Ricara 
dialects; but instead, many si- 
milarities with the Yancton and 
Konzas dialects of the Missouri 
tribes., The Wahtasuns or Ah- 
nahaways of Lewis, called Aya- 
wahs by Shannon, are a branch 
of the Ofcos and Ayowehs of low- 
er Missouri, although , settled 
near the Mandans, and speaking 
an akin dialect. 
The word mini for water is 
found in all the Missouri tribes. 
In comparing the 10 Mandan 
numbers with the list of decimals 
in 50 N. A. dialeGtsin Tanner’s 
Narrative, the greatest amount 
of analogies are found in the 
Konza 1. Meakche, 2 Nonpah, 
3 Topah. Analogy SO per ct. 
nearly the same in Omawah. 
Yancton 1 YYanchah, 2 Nonpah 
S Yah men e, 4 Topah. Equal to 
40 per ct. the same in the Bako- 
tah or Sioux. 
Minitari 2 Nohopah, 3 Nahme, 
4 Topah, 5 Cliehoh, 6 Acahme, 
7 Chappo. Equal to 60 per cent, 
of analogy. 
While the Pani has only 10 p. 
cent of analogy by the single 
number 2 Patko. The Muscogih 
so far to the S. E. has even more 
or 20 per ct, in 1 Ilornai, lOPe- 
hole; but they are very remote. 
Mr. Gatlin, who has visited 
the Mandans this year, 1832, 
says they are properly called 
Siposka-nukaki meaning people 
of the pheasant! thus we have 3 
names for this nation, this is not 
unusual, each nation having ma- 
ny nicknames in N. America. 
He says they are reduced to 1800 
souls, and that the Minitari 
speak a dialect of the Upsaroka 
or Crow Indians. 
C. S. Raeines^ue*' 
97. Languages oe Oregon. 
CliOPUNISH AND ChINUC. 
Mr. Shannon confirmed the 
fact that only 3 languages were 
met with in the Oregon mts and 
country. 1 The Shoshonisin the 
mts, 2 Chopunish from mts to the 
falls of the Oregon or Columbia 
R. 3 Chinuc from hence to the 
Pacific Ocean. But they are spo- 
ken in a multitude of dialects. 
The Shosh&ni is pretty well 
known to be a branch of the Alie- 
tan or Western Skereh, spoken 
as far as Mexico. The other two 
are less known. Mr. Sh. could 
only furnish me 12 words of 
Chopunish, a few more met with 
in Lewis and Cox enable me to 
give 24 words of it. 
Sky 
Tetoh 
Water 
Mekish 
Miner 
Ishkit 
Land 
Kaimo 
t Father 
Papa 
Son 
Illim 
t Sun 
Spokan 
t Faraway 
Wayot 
t Nose 
Nashne 
Jlrm -■ 
Tunashe 
t Head? top 
Chop 
Flat 
Unish 
Cut 
Pakehuk 
Broken 
Mutult 
Road 
Ahish 
Buff aloe 
Cokala 
Bear 
Yahar 
