72 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
often misunderstood the purport of their questions, 
and whose answers must, as often, have been quite 
unintelligible to the Missionaries. A knowledge of the 
language was, however, indispensable; and many of the 
Missionaries employed much of their time among the 
natives, making excursions through the neighbouring 
districts, spending several days together with the chiefs 
at their own habitations, for the purpose of observing 
their customs, and obtaining an acquaintance with the 
words which they employed in social intercourse among 
themselves. This was the more necessary, as the natives 
who reside in those parts visited by shipping, soon pick 
up a few of the most common English phrases, which 
they apply almost indiscriminately, supposing they are 
thereby better understood, than they would be if they 
used only native words; yet these words are so changed 
in a native’s mouth, who cannot sound any sibilant, or 
many of our consonants, and who must also introduce a 
vowel between every double consonant, that no English¬ 
man would recognize them as his own, but would write 
them down as native words. Pickaninny is a specimen 
of this kind. 
It was not in words only, but also in their application, 
that the most ludicrous mistakes were made by the peo¬ 
ple. ^^Oli mani,” a corruption of the English words 
old man,” is the common term for any thing old j 
hence, a blunt, broken knife, and a threadbare or ragged 
dress, is called ^*^011 mani.” A captain of a ship, at 
anchor in one of the harbours, was once inquiring of 
a native something about his wife, who was sitting by. 
The man readily answered his question, and concluded 
by saying, Oli mani hoi,” she is also an old man.” 
Part of each day was by several devoted to the study 
