A Narrative of the Shipwreck, Captivity and Sufferings of Horace Holden and Benj. H. Nute Part 8

_P._ Gur ahnee ah prow woar Inglish, pee'pee ah pahng-ul, ah lego', kahrahpah, ah vay-ee'vee pee'pee, ah mahree pee'pee, ah lah'bo?

_P._ Have you got s.h.i.+ps in England, and a great deal of iron, and cloths and cocoa-nuts, and many men, women, and children?

_H._ Eelah, nang yuhwo' ah prow woar Inglish, pee'pee ah pahng-ul, ah lego', kahrahpah ah vay-ee'vee, pee'pee ah mah'ree, pee'pee ah lah'bo.

_H._ Yes, I have got s.h.i.+ps in England, much iron, and cloths, and cocoa-nuts, and women, and a great many men and children.

_P._ Gur mukkah woar Inglish pee'pee?

_P._ Do you eat in England a plenty?

_H._ Eelah, nang mukkah woar Inglish pee'pee.

_H._ Yes, in England I eat a plenty, (or much.)

_P._ Tee'mit, gur zah beeto Inglish woshee'to ah pahng-ul woshee'to ah lego', ah mullebah'dee, ah tepo-ee, ah kah-oo eekah, mo'ree To'bee zah lee mah'ree To'bee, gur muhpeer, gur yissung ah mah'ree, muhpeer muhpeer.

_P._ Horace, if you go to England, and fetch us iron, and cloths, and bra.s.s, and axes, and fish-hooks, to To'bee, and give them to To'bee men, you (will be) our friend, a very good man, a very great friend; (_literally_, a friend, a friend.)

_H._ Eelah, nang zah beeto Inglish, nang wosheeto ah pahng-ul, wosheeto ah lego', ah mullebah'dee, ah tepo-ee, ah kah-oo eekah, woar To'bee zah lee mah'ree To'bee.

_H._ Yes, (if) I go to England I will fetch you iron, and fetch cloths and bra.s.s, and axes and fish-hooks, to To'bee, and give them to the people of To'bee.

_P._ Tee'mit, gur zah beeto Inglish gur tay beeto To'bee, mah'ree To'bee zah tee'tree Yarris, gur moree pooruk.

_P._ Horace, if you go to England and do not come back to To'bee, the men of To'bee will talk to G.o.d and you will die.

_H._ Nang zah beeto Inglish, nang de mummah tee'dee, ah turt zah beeto To'bee.

_H._ I will go to England and stop a short time, (i. e. sleep there,) and shall return to To'bee.

_P._ Tee'mit, gur zah beeto venne Yarris, gur tay beeto, gur mo'ree pooruk.

_P._ Horace, if you do not go to Yarris' house, (i. e. the place of wors.h.i.+p,) you will die.

_H._ Tur pay; nang zah beeto.

_H._ Wait a minute; I will go.

Verrah mahtah gur?

What is your name?

FOOTNOTES:

[6] No bamboo grows on Lord North's island, but it frequently drifts ash.o.r.e, and the natives make knives of it.

[7] Used also by the Pelew Islanders.

[8] _Numerals of the Caroline Islands, from the Missionary Voyage to the Southern Pacific Ocean, 4to, London, 1799._

One, iota Two, rua Three, toloo Four, tia Five, leema Six, honoo Seven, fizoo Eight, wartow, Nine, s.h.i.+evo Ten, segga

[9] Tattooing instruments may be seen in the valuable East India museum, at Salem; and perhaps in some of the museums in Boston.

[10] What the import of this name _Peeter_ was, we are unable to determine. They gave the same appellation to a character of great celebrity in their history, whose entire name was _Peeter Kart_; and who, according to their traditions, came from the island of Ternate, many years ago, and gave them their religion and such simple arts as they possessed. They said he was of a copper color, like themselves.