(Continued.)
Under these circumstances, there can be no impropriety in appealing to the British Government. If the Houses of Parliament will not take any higher view of the subject, perhaps, they will be influenced by financial considerations. Every tribe of the natives that are instructed, will learn to work for their bread; and will immediately require clothing. The success of the missionary, therefore, will procure employment for the manufacturers of the Mother Country; and the farther he makes his way into the interior, the more he will add to the wealth of the empire. If the aboriginal inhabitants of Australia were consumers of the manufactures of the Mother Country—and consumers of her manufactures they certainly will become, when they receive a knowledge of christianity—she would be independent of the American and other markets, where so many attempts are now making to rival the industry of her people.
One word to those who profess to be christians in the settlement, and to the christian public in the British Isles. How long will it be before you take pity upon this people? Are your hearts made of adamant? Have they no compassion? Here is a people free from idolatry; free also from European vices—a peopie ready, and so far prepared for the reception of the gospel,—a people who have already heard a Saviours name proclaimed to them, who have wondered at the strange but heavenly sound, I bowed the knee with those that worshiped him in their own wild forests, and now wait till the great mystery of Christianity—god manifest in the flesh—be unveiled to them—a people, on whose unnumbered generations not a ray of divine revelation has shone since the days of Noah; and many of whom, if you delay, will drop into an unchangeable eternity; utterly ignorant of that Redeemer in whom centre all your hopes of happiness either in this world or the world to come.
A Vocabulary of the language of Derbal.
The Derbalese Alphabet.
A, b, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, t, u, v, w, y.
Remarks on the Vocabulary.
The orthography perhaps cannot be accurately and finally fixed, till we get such a knowledge of the language as will enable us to trace the different words to the proper roots whence they are derived For, as derivation is necessary to elucidate the proper meaning of words; and, as time and circumstances frequently cut out new channels for themselves, and not only isolate words but clothe them with a new dress, it's the duty of the orthoepist, without interfering with the established rules of pronunciation, to abide by, or restore, when necessary, the original orthography, and clothe the words as much as possible, in their native garb; not only in order to distinguish the present roots to which the different families belong, but for the sake of the elucidation of the language.
Simplicity in the orthography of a language is not less important than desirable. And, as the vowels in Derbalese are not much varied, each having seldom more than two distinct sounds, which must be invariably governed by accentuation, I have disencumbered the language as much as possible of consonants. For instance, when in English, it is intended to deprive the vowel a of its broad sound, as in fate and fare, it is usual to shut it up with a double consonant, as in balm and hammer: but as the broad sound of this vowel seldom occurs in Derbalese, I have thought it better, for the present, when it does occur, to distinguish it with an emphasis; as in Gálup and Yàgan; by which the language will be freed from a multitude of consonants, thus easily dispensed with. In every case therefore in which the vowel a is not thus marked, it is pronounced in the manner usual on the continent of Europe and North Britain.
But enough on this subject. Pronunciation cannot be acquired by reading: it must be communicated by tuition. Suffice it for the present, to observe, that Derbalese resembles English, in its tendency to an antepenultimate accent. Sometimes, the accent is placed still higher.
I am afraid few of my readers will catch the proper pronunciation of the letters ng, when combined. No one but a Hebrew scholar can form any idea of the sound, which these characters are intended to convey.
The letter y, when it follows the letter d, is not to be pronounced by itself. It is merely intended to soften that character.
Though I am prepared to answer for the general accuracy of the Vocabulary, it cannot be snpposed, under the circumstances of the case, that I am certain of the correctness of every word. I have therefore put those of the meaning of which I have any doubt in italics.
Where the word consists of five syllables or more, it has a double accent. In other cases the antepenultimate prevails.
THE VOCABULARY.
Goodjat, apparently, the name of the supreme. Should the root, whence this term is derived, be discovered in Derbalese, it will, I am inclined to think, be found to import the originator; the former of all things; the foundation of life.
The word is not unlike Goonja, the name of the supreme among the oborigines of South Africa, when it was first discovered.
The term is masculine.
Ngangar—another being.
This term is feminine.
Yaelangooroo—another.—But this term seems to be plural; and to import a family. If so, it signifies that the starry worlds with all their inhabitants, are the offspring of the Deity; or were created by him.
Moonak,—the place where the Deity is more immediately supposed to display his presence; Heaven.
All these are described to be maar-beelenak, above the firmament. The three persons here named, may be found to be nothing more than demi-gods; or men deified. But, if it should be found to be a principle in their creed, that they are immortal and eternal, it will be an interesting discovery.
Ngorrabberrak, an expression denoting the displeasure of the Deity.
Maar-warra-wallagobee, an opening in the firmament apparently implying a communication between heaven and earth.
Maar-book, the firmament. The word is used also to denote air.
N. B. Book is used both as a definite and indefinite article; and invariably follows the noun. It is also attached to nouns proper. This is a singular peculiarity.
Nanga-book, the sun.
Batta, the beams of the sun.
Nanga-batta-nynowl, the sun is risen—literally—enthroned. See nynow.
Nanga-ngnardog, the sun is set.
Nanga-warloo, the sun is returning. See wuraloo.
Nangar-mooreejoon, to give light; to see. The expression seems to import the sun dispelling the darkness.
Nanga-banya, a hot, or sweating sun. See banya.
Mirgaduk, morning. See mirdak.
Malyarak, meridian.
Mirdak | also | night.
Bidooroong, afternoon.
Gareembee, sun set.
Moorat | See moorn.
Mullijee, shadow.
Meega-book, the moon.
Beerdyat, high
Meega-meemak, the moon is risen
Beerat, day.
Waroo, darkness.
Meega-derbaga, the moon is set. Changes of the moon.
Meega-beree, or wyaberda, first quarter. See beree.
Meega-newmap, in Mooro, ngoomon, in Beeliar, full moon.
Meega-nynown. last quarter. See nynow
Meega-maral-gangoween, change of the moon. The moon is changing hands, seems to be the import of the expression. See mara
Nangar, the stars
Walgen the rain-bow, Moolagar thunder,
Babumberee lightning, Wagal wind,
Dalagooroo, sound; the sound of the wind blowing
Dogee, rain
Gooree, to rain
Moolat, hail
Boodjar, land; the earth
Dyeedyalla, clay
Gooiara, sand
Booyee, rock; a rock; a stone. The word has no plural number. But if a rock show its head above water in the sea, the same distinction holds in Derbalese as in English. It is not called an island or an isle; but, simply, a rock, booyee
Gordo, an isle
Boodjar-gordo, an island
Katta, a hill. See katta
Boorda, a valley
Boorda, by and by. Importing, in the one case, an interval of space; and in the other an interval of time
Moko, water
Moko-dyalooma, salt water
Moko batoot, fresh water
Ngoora, a lake
Yaragan, a river
Gabee, a well, a lake, a river—any receptacle of water from a drinking cup to the ocean
Gabee younanee, go to the well
Gabee-maar, a cloud. Literally, the well of the sky; or the fountain of the firmament
Gabee-wodin, the sea; the main ocean
Gabooluk, pregnancy; the state of a woman with child
The different parts of the human body, This section is complete
Dyoondal, white; fair
Moora, black; dark coloured
Katta, the hair
Nganga, the beard
Mooning, the Mustaches
Yoorat, the head
Mungura, crown of the head
Moordu, back of the head
Dunga, the ears
Damillee, the face
Yoordo, the forehead
Yaba, the temples
Mingat, the eye-brows
Meeal, the eyes
Meealana, the eye lids
Moolya, the nose
Karup, the nostrils
Dya, the lips
Madya, the mouth
Nalgo, the teeth
Dallang, the tongue
Goonyan, the palate. The similarity of the sound in the French word gout, signifying taste, and pronounced, goo, is perhaps not unworthy of notice.
Boomo, the chin
Wardo, the neck
Nunga, back of the neck
Doorgat, the throat
Ngundu, the chest
Bibee, the breast
Bibee-moollya, the nipple Literally, the nose of the breast. See moolya
Gongo, the back
Kaburla, the belly
Naral, the side
Beelye, the navel
Dtowel, the thigh
Wanik, the knee. Possibly the knee-cap
Boneet, the knee
Matta, the leg
Wallit, the calf of the leg
Goodye, the shin
Bilga, the ancle
Geena, the foot, the toes
Ngardee, the heel
Bunara, the sole. Geena-bunara, the sole of the foot
Monga, the shoulder
Ngooiya, the arm pit
Marga, the arm
Wangoo, the arm, from the shoulder to the elbow
Nogat, the elbow
Mardal, the wrist
Mara, the hand, the fingers
Nara, the hollow of the hand
Kaburn, the face of the hand; the palm
Mara gongo, the back of hand
Beree, a nail; the nails
Mara-beree, finger nails
Geena-beree, toe nails
Dyoonga, bone, a bone
Eemba skin,
Maboo, skin of the Kangaroo
Beedy, the veins
Ngooboo, blood
Goodja, the womb
Katta-dyeedan, fair haired
Katta-dyeedal, grey haired
Katta-moorn, black haired
Barnulliara, bald
Ngoombart, the ornaments, made on the chests, backs, and shoulders of the men
This is done by the women.
The flesh is cut, or scoriated in various forms with a sharp stone. The fire is then applied to it, till it rise in blisters, presenting various figures in alto; in which form it is left to heal of its own accord.
Booram, before; the front.
Ngoolyar, behind; rear—evidently from ngoolya, the arm-pit hid, out of view
Mamerup, a man. Yago, a woman
Mandigero, a married woman; a wife
Goolangooree, a babe; pronounced yoolangery But, it is so evidently derived from the same root with the following words that I have ventured to retain what I conceive to be the proper orthography.
Goolang, a youth; boy or girl
Gooraat, a girl. Goorarda, a boy
Goolamaroo, a yong man; unmarried; unbearded
Goolamata, a virgin Bidyer, father
Mael, in Mooro, mai, in Beeliar, mother
Gangooroogoo, a brother. Wooree, a sister
Girdagan, a relation; or one very like another
Babing, a friend.
Babing-garee, friend by marriage
(To be continued)
Edited, Printed, and Published by CHARLES MACFAULL, at the Gazette Office, Perth
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