The notices upon the American languages at the British Association
between the date of the last paper but one and the next were:
That the Bethuk of Newfoundland was American rather than
Eskimo--_Report for 1847_. _Transactions of the Section p. 115._
That the Shyenne numerals were Algonkin--Report for 1847. _Transactions
of Sections p. 123._
That neither
The Moskito, nor
The Botocudo language were isolated.--_Ibid._
ON THE LANGUAGES OF NEW
CALIFORNIA.
READ
BEFORE THE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY,
MAY 13TH 1853.
The languages of the south-western districts of the Oregon territory
are conveniently studied in the admirable volume upon the Philology of
the United States Exploring Expedition, by Mr Hale. Herein we find that
the frontier between that territory and California is most probably
formed by the Saintskla, Umkwa, and Lutuami languages, the Saintskla
being spoken on the sea-coast, the Umkwa lying to the east of it,
and the Lutuami east of the Umkwa. All three, in the present state
of our knowledge, belong to different philological divisions. It is
unnecessary to add, that each tongue covers but a small geographical
area.
The Paduca area extends in a south-eastern direction in such a manner
as to lap round the greater part of California and New Mexico, to
enclose both of those areas, and to prolong itself into Texas; and
that so far southwards as almost to reach the Gulf of Mexico. Hence,
except at the south and the north-west, the Californian languages (and
indeed the New Mexican as well) are cut off and isolated from the
other tongues of America by means of this remarkable extension of the
Paducas. The Paduca tongues dip into each of these countries as well as
lap round them. It is convenient to begin with a Paduca language.
The _Wihinast_ is, perhaps, an Oregon rather than a Californian
language; though at the same time it is probably common to the two
countries. It can be shown to be Paduca by its vocabulary in Mr. Hale's
work, the Shoshoni being the language to which it comes nearest; indeed
Mr. Gallatin calls the Wihinast the Western Shoshoni. Due east of the
Wihinast come the Bonak Indians, currently believed to be Paduca, but
still requiring the evidence of a vocabulary to prove them so.
The true Shoshoni succeed; and these are, probably, Oregon rather
than Californian. At any rate, their language falls within the study
of the former country. But the Uta Lake is truly a part of the
great Californian basin, and the Uta language is known to us from a
vocabulary, and known to be Paduca: