LETTER XIX.

FROM THE SAME.

BETHLEHEM, 15th August, 1816.

DEAR SIR.--I sit down to conclude my answer to your letter of the 3d inst.

Before I begin this task, let me give you some examples that now occur to me to shew the regularity of the formation of Indian words.

1. The names of reptiles generally end in _gook_ or _gookses_.

Achgook, _a snake_. Suckachgook, _a black snake_ (from _suck_ or _suckeu_, black.) Mamalachgook, _spotted snake_. Asgaskachgook, _green snake_.

2. The names of fishes in _meek_ (_Namæs_, a fish.)

Maschilameek, _a trout_ (spotted fish.) Wisameek, _cat-fish_ (the fat fish.) Suckameek, _black fish_. Lennameek, _chub fish_.

3. The names of other animals, have in the same manner regular terminations, _ap_, or _ape_, for walking in an erect posture; hence _lenape_, man; _chum_, for four-legged animals, and _wehelleu_, for the winged tribes. I need not swell this letter with examples, which would add nothing to your knowledge of the principle which I have sufficiently explained.

I now proceed to answer your letter.

Notwithstanding Mr. Edwards’s observation (for whom I feel the highest respect), I cannot help being of opinion, that the monosyllable _ooch_, is the proper word for _father_, abstractedly considered, and that it is as proper to say _ooch_, father, and _nooch_, my father, as _dallemons_, beast, and _n’dallemons_, my beast; or _nitschan_, child, or a child, and _n’nitschan_, my child. It is certain, however, that there are few occasions for using these words in their abstract sense, as there are so many ways of associating them with other ideas. _Wetoochwink_ and _wetochemuxit_ both mean “the father,” in a more definite sense, and _wetochemelenk_ is used in the vocative sense, and means “thou our father.” I once heard Captain Pipe, a celebrated Indian chief, address the British commandant at Detroit, and he said _nooch!_ my father!

The shades of difference between these several expressions are so nice and delicate, that I feel great difficulty in endeavouring to explain them. _Wetochemuxit_, I conceive to be more properly applicable to the heavenly Father, than to an earthly one. It implies an idea of power and authority over his children, superior to that of mere procreation, therefore I think it fittest to be used in prayer and worship. _Wetoochwink_, on the contrary, by the syllable _we_ or _wet_, prefixed to it, implies progeny and ownership over it;[289] and _wink_ or _ink_ conveys the idea of the actual existence of that progeny. Yet Mr. Zeisberger, who well understood the language, has used _wetoochwink_ in the spiritual sense. Thus, in his Delaware Hymn Book,[290] you find, page 15, _Pennamook Wetoochwink milquenk!_ which is in English “Behold what the Father has given us!” Again, in the same book, page 32, we read, “_Hallewiwi wetochemuxit_;” which means “The Father of Eternity.” Upon the whole I believe that _ooch_ is a proper word for “father” or “a father,” but _wetoochwink_ may also be used in the same sense, notwithstanding its more definite general acceptation. There is little occasion, however, to use either with this abstract indefinite meaning.

I agree with you that _lenni_, _lenno_, _illenoh_, _illenou_, _illinois_, appear to have all the same derivation, and to be connected with the idea of _man_, _nation_, or _people_. _Lenno_, in the Delaware language, signifies man, and so does _Lenape_, in a more extended sense. In the name of the Lenni _Lenape_, it signifies _people_; but the word _lenni_, which precedes it, has a different signification and means _original_, and sometimes _common_, _plain_, _pure_, _unmixed_. Under this general description the Indians comprehend all that they believe to have been first created in the origin of things. To all such things they prefix the word _lenni_; as, for instance, when they speak of _high_ lands, they say _lenni hacki_ (original lands), but they do not apply the same epithet to _low_ lands, which being generally formed by the overflowing or washing of rivers, cannot, therefore, be called _original_. Trees which grow on high lands are also called _lenni hittuck_, original trees. In the same manner they designate Indian corn, pumpkins, squashes, beans, tobacco, &c., all which they think were given by the Great Spirit for their use, _from the beginning_. Thus, they call Indian corn[291] _lenchasqueem_, from _lenni_ and _chasqueem_; beans, _lenalachksital_, from _lenni_ and _malachksital_; tobacco, _lenkschatey_, from _lenni_ and _kschatey_; which is the same as if they said _original corn_, _original beans_, _original tobacco_. They call the linden tree _lennikby_, from _lenni_ and _wikby_; the last word by itself meaning “the tree whose bark peels freely,” as the bark of that tree peels off easily all the year round. This bark is made use of as a rope for tying and also for building their huts, the roof and sides of which are made of it. A house thus built is called _lennikgawon_, “original house or hut,” from _lennikby_, original, or linden tree, _wikheen_, to build, and _jagawon_ or _yagawon_, a house with a flat roof. It is as if they said “a house built of _original_ materials.”

_Lennasqual_, in the Minsi dialect, means a kind of grass which is supposed to have grown on the land from the beginning. English grasses, as timothy, &c., they call _schwannockasquall_, or white men’s grass. The chub fish they call _lennameek_, because, say they, this fish is in all fresh water or streams, whereas other fish are confined to certain particular waters or climates.

They also say _lenni m’bi_, “pure water;” _leneyachkhican_, a fowling piece, as distinguished from a rifle, because it was the _first_ fire-arm they ever saw; a rifle they call _tetupalachgat_. They say, _lenachsinnall_, “common stones,” because stones are found every where, _lenachpoan_, “common bread,” (_achpoan_ means “bread”); _lenachgook_, a common snake, such as is seen every where (from _achgook_, a snake); _lenchum_, the original, common dog, not one of the species brought into the country by the white people. I think I have sufficiently explained the name “_Lenni Lenape_.”

As I do not know the Greenland language, I cannot say how far the word “_innuit_” is connected with _lenni_ or _lenno_, or any of the words or names derived from them.

The words _squaw_, _sachem_, _tomahawk_, and _wigwam_, are words of Delaware stock, somewhat corrupted by the English. _Ochqueu_, woman; _sakima_, chief; _tamahican_, hatchet;[292] _wickwam_ (both syllables long, as in English _weekwawm_), a house. Hence, _nik_, my house; _kik_, thy house; _wikit_, his house; _wikichtit_, their houses; _wikia_, at my house; _wiquahemink_, in the house; again, _wickheen_, to build a house; _wikhitschik_, the builders of a house; _wikheu_, he is building a house; _wikhetamok_, let us build a house; _wikheek_ (imperative), build a house; _wikhattoak_, they are building (a house or houses).

_Calumet_ is not an Indian word; M. Volney thinks it is an English word for a tobacco pipe; it is certainly not proper English, but I have always thought that it was first used by the English or the French. The Delaware for a tobacco pipe is _Poakan_ (two syllables).

_Wampum_ is an Iroquois word, and means a marine shell.

_Papoose_, I do not know; it is not a word of the Delaware language, yet it is possible that it may be used by some Indian nations, from whom we may have borrowed it. I have been told that the Mahicanni of New England made use of this word for a _child_.

I am, &c.