Cadwallader Colden, in his _Account of the Five Indian Nations of
Canada_, says--"They think themselves by nature superior to the rest of
mankind, and call themselves _Ongue-honwe_--that is, men surpassing
all others. The words expressing things lately come to their knowledge are
all compounds. They have no labials in their language, nor can they
pronounce perfectly any word wherein there is a labial; and when one
endeavours to teach them to pronounce these words, they tell one they
think it ridiculous that they must _shut their lips to speak_. Their
language abounds with gutturals and strong aspirations: these make it very
sonorous and bold; and their speeches abound with metaphors after the
manner of the eastern nations. Sometimes one word among them includes an
entire definition of the thing: for example--they call wine
_Oneharadeschoengtseragherie_, as to say, a liquor made of the juice
of the grape."
N.B. It is hoped the above _guttural_ word will not stick in the
_throat_ of the reader.