USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 2 > Part 23
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Of all the tribes that were found on Long Island, there remain only a few families of Montauks and Shinecocs, with a few scatter- ing ones, at different places on the south side of the Island.
Of the state of Society among the Indians.
The Indians on Long Island raised corn and vegetables, and these, with the deer, wild fowl, and various kinds of shell fish and other fish that abounded on the Island, must have afforded them easy and ample means of subsistence; yet notwithstanding these advantages, they still continued in the hunter state, and had made no advances in the arts, which are usually first cultivated in the in- fancy of society. They were not distinguished by their dwellings, their clothing, their domestic utensils, or weapons of war, from the natives of the interior.
Except their canoes, of which those that belonged to the chiefs, were very large, and their arrow heads, which were curiously wrought out of the hardest stone, the only materials of art among them, seem to have been some rude vessels of earth hardened in the fire, and these are sometimes found in their shell banks.
At the first settlement of the Island, the Montauks were consi- derably numerous; their numbers were diminished by their war with Ninnigrate, in 1655, and by emigration from time to time to the Indian settlements on the main shore. In 1761 they amounted to thirty-cight families, and to 192 souls ; subsequent to that time, the tribe was still further reduced by the emigration of a number with Sampson Occum and other Indians to Brothertown in 1786. They do not at present exceed half a dozen familes, nor amount to more than thirty souls.
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The Indians on Long Island seem to have abounded in wampum, the Indian substitute for money. It was made out of the shells of different species of shell fish, of the size of beads, and perforated like them. The beads were black or blue, and white, and the VOL. II. 34
258
HISTORY OF THE
black were double the value of the white ; and this fact clearly shews that some standard of value is essential to social intercourse in the' rudest state of society.
. The Dutch and English both, either from necessity or conven- ience, resorted to the use of this Indian money, and the value of it was fixed either by law or custom. In the early stages of the sei- tlements, three black beads or six white ones passed for a penny.
Belts made of wampum were exchanged at the treaties between different tribes, as symbols to perpetuate the memory of the tran- saction.
The same causes that diminished the numbers and prevented the . increase of the Indians, contributed to retard their progress in im- provement and civilization.
The religious notions of the Long Island Indians, are preserved in a communication of Sampson Occum, an Indian minister, which is published among the collections of the historical society of Mas- sachusetts.
They had a plurality of gods, but believed in one great and good being, who had the control over all the rest. They believed in an evil spirit, and had their conjurers or pawaws. They believed in a future state of existence, and that there would be a distinction according to their behavior here. 1
They made sacrifices to their gods, and performed such other acts of worship, as are common among the Indians in general.
Their conjurers were said to have intercourse with the evil spirit, and by the Duke's laws of 1665, it was enacted " that no Indian should be suffered to pawaw or perform worship to the devil in any town within the government.
The language of the Montauk Indians is supposed to have been the common language of all the Long Island Indians, and differed but little from that of the Narraganset, the Massachusetts, and other New England tribes.
Of the measures adopted to preserve peace with the Indians.
The Indians on Long Island, seem to have been less troublesome to the whites, than those north of the sound.
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STATE OF NEW-YORK.
'It does not appear that they ever formed any general combina- tion against the first settlers, or materialy interrupted the progress of their improvements. The records of that period, furnish no account of any general war against the Long Island Indians, by the Dutch or English.
There is no reason to believe that this exemption from Indian hostilities was owing to a better disposition, or milder character of the natives of the Island. Individuals and small parties were some- times troublesome to the settlers.
. In 1649, a murder was perpetrated at South Hampton, and the town was greatly alarmed at the hostile appearance of the Indians for several days, and several murders were committed in the Dutch towns, in 1652.
The towns were frequently jealous of them.
In 1045, the town of South Hampton ordered one half of their military company to bring their ams to meeting with them every Lord's day alternately for some time.
In 1651, the town of East Hampton ordered the inhabitants to bring their arms with them on the Lord's day, under the penalty of 12d. for every neglect, and other towns are said to have done the like.
The Indians sometimes committed depredations on the property of the whites.
In 1657, they did considerable damage to the people of South Hampton, and in 1681 four Indians plundered a store in Hunting- ton, and threatened the lives of the family. The first settlers in every part of the Island, were in the practice of guarding their cattle which run at large, and it might have been to prevent the de- predations of the Indians, as well as to guard them against injuries from wild beasts and other accidents.
In 1657, the Montauks committed depredations, and burnt a number of houses at South Hampton, and the people were obliged to betake themselves to their arms, and stand on their own defence .. Capt. Mason crossed the sound to quell the disturbance, and im- posed a fine of 700l. on the Indians, as a remuneration for the. damages, and as a punisliment for the aggression.
' The chief sent a messenger to the Commissioners, and alleged
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260
HISTORY OF THE
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that the damage was occasioned by a mischievous Indian, who la; since destroyed himself and a negro woman, and prayed tia: 3, might be relieved from the fine, which was referred to the general court of Connecticut.
In Johnson's " Wonder Working Providence," it is stated t!): when the English first commenced their settlements on Long Island, " the Indians did much annoy their cattle with the multitude of d . they kept, which ordinarily were young wolves brought up tate, continuing of a very ravening nature."
The security of the whites must be ascribed to the means they employed, to preserve peace with the Indians.
- The English and the Dutch both endeavored to secure uninter- rupted peace with the Indians, by treaty.
The reception of the Indians on the east end of the Island, un- der the protection of the Commissioners of the united colonies, in 1644, and their subsequent appointment of the Montauk chief, grand sachem of the Long Island Indians, must have augmented the influence which he before possessed over more or less of the Indian tribes on the Island, and must have enabled and disposed him to curb any disposition manifested by them to annoy, or inter- rupt the whites.
In 1643, the year before the Dutch war with the Indians north of the sound, the Dutch Governor made a treaty with Pennowits, sachem, as is supposed of the Matinecock Indians.
In 1656, the Dutch Governor made a treaty with Tackapausha, . the sachem of the Marsapeague Indians, and the representative of five other tribes.
Thus the Dutch on the west end, and the English on the east end of the Island, maintained a constant friendship with the natives . in their respective neighborhoods, and while they were friendly with each other, the Indians from one end of the Island to the other were friendly with both.
Both the English and the Dutch on Long Island, respected the rights of the Indians, and no land was taken 'up by the several towns, or by individuals, until it had been fairly purchased of the chiefs, of the tribe who claimed it.
The consideration given for the land was inconsiderable in value,
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and usually consisted of different articles of clothing, implements of hunting and fishing, domestic utensils, and personal ornaments ; but appears to have been such in all cases, as was deemed satisfac- tory by the Indians.
The first purchase of Huntington in 1653, comprised nearly six miles square ; the consideration paid to the Indians consisted of six coats, six bottles, six hatchets, six shovels, ten knives, six fathom wampum, thirty muxes, and thirty needles.
The first purchase of East Hampton embraced about thirty thousand seven hundred and twenty acres, and the articles given in payment consisted of twenty coats, twenty-four looking glasses, twenty-four hoes, twenty-four hatchets, twenty-four knives, and one hundred muxes.
The first purchase of Oysterbay embraced upwards of twenty thousand acres, for which the first purchasers gave six Indian coats, six kettles, six fathom of wampum, six hoes, six hatchets, three pair stockings, thirty awl blades, or muxes, twenty knives, three shirts, peague 4l. sterling.
The decrease of the Indians is sometimes represented as if the whites were blameable for purchasing their lands. The decay of their numbers is a consequence of the settlement of the country by an agricultural people ; the improvement of the country must dimin- - ish the game, lessen the means of their support, and drive them into the interior, with the wild beasts that furnish their sustenance, while they retain the character of hunters. Providence certainly never designed that the earth should be kept desolate by erratic na- tions, but should be so used as to afford support to the greatest. number of human beings.
The United States, as the British government formerly did, per- mit the Indians within the limits of their political jurisdiction, to re- tain their own customs, to choose their own rulers, to make trea- ties, and preserve their relations with each other. They are not subject to our laws, and are not required to perform the duties of citizens ; they are suffered to retain their independence, subject to our protection and control, so far only as their own welfare and the public safety require.
The government concedes to them the right of occupation, and
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claims the right of soil, or ultimate domain. It suffers no advantere to be taken of the' necessities or imbecility of individuals, by the fraud or avarice of our own citizens.
An Indian territory belongs to the tribe or nation, and cannot be sold by individuals. The alienation of their territory is a nations! act, and can 'only be done by treaty. The extinguishment of 1. dian claims, therefore, is an act of sovereignty, and no purchase made by an unauthorized individual is of any validity, nor was any purchase ever considered as legal from the first settlement of the country, which was made without authority, until it was confirmed by patent, or some other act of government.
Both powers endeavored to prevent the evils which usually re- sult from the use of spirituous liquors by the Indians. -
The Dutch governor in 1643, and the English governor in 1665, prohibited the sale of spirituous liquors to them.
In 1656 the town of Jamaica imposed a fine of thirty guilders on any one who should sell strong drink to an Indian.
The number and character of the Indians rendered it prudent for the first settlers to guard against surprise, and to be prepared to resist any attack by them. The several towns required every man to furnish himself with arms and ammunition, and to assemble at an appointed place in case of an alarm. In some of the English towns, a block-house, or small fort, was erected as a place of security in time of danger.
The people of Gravesend, in the infancy of their settlement, en- closed their village with palisadoes.
The Dutch governor in 1645, and the English governor in 1665, forbid the sale of arms and ammunition to the Indians.
In 1641 the town of South Hampton resolved, that if any one . should sell any warlike implements to the Indians, he should forfeit his whole personal effects. In 1650 the town of East Hampton resolved, that whosoever should sell powder, lead, or shot, sword, or flint, to any Indian, he should be liable to the penalty of twenty shillings, and if any one should sell a gun or pistol to one, he should · pay ten pounds sterling.
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It may have been partly in consequence of the destruction of their warriors, in their recent wars, and of their military spirit being
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STATE OF NEW-YORK.
broken by their subjection to successive conquerors; but it was principally by cultivating the friendship of the chiefs, and particu- larly of the grand sachem of the whole, by respecting their rights, and treating them with uniform justice and kindness, by preventing excitement by artificial means, and by rendering success hopeless by withholding the means necessary to insure it, that the whites were exempted from any hostile combinations of the Long Island Indians.
The following comprises the remarks of Mr. Wood on the Mo- beakanneew and Huron languages, &c .:
It is supposed that there were only two original Indian languages in the United States, north of the Roanoke ; the Delaware and the Iroquois. The languages of the different tribes of New England, and most of the tribes from the Mississippi to Nova Scotia, are only different dialects of the Delaware language.
The structure of the Indian languages is different from that of all known languages, ancient or modern ; and there is a great analogy in this respect, between those that are radically distinct.
The Indian languages have no substantive verb, and have no dis- tinction of genders. The nouns are not varied to distinguish be- tween male and female, but between animate and inanimate things. They admit of prefixes and suffixes, and sometimes blend several words together, so as to make a whole sentence of a single long word.
These languages are made up of these combinations; not only pronouns, but adjectives, conjunctions, and adverbs, are combined with the verb, and produce a great variety of forms of expression, and render them peculiarly copious and expressive.
The following Indian words are taken from a manuscript of the late John Gardiner, esq. deceased, who took them down from the lips of the Montauk chief, and is the only specimen of the language that could be obtained.
Massakeat mund great good spirit
Machees cund evil spirit
Saunchem king
Seaunskq. queen
nucquit one
Wonnux
white man
neeze two
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HISTORY OF THE
Wonnuxk
white woman
nisk
three
Inchun
an Indian
yuaw ·
four
.
Wewauchum
Indian corń
nepaw
five
Mausquescets beans
conma
six
Ausgoote
pumpkins
nusus
seven
Quauhaug
a round clam
swans · eight
Suxawaug
a long clam
passecucond nine
Tobaugsk
tobacco
pyunck ten
Cheaganan
a hatchet
cheesk
small
Niep
water
chiauk
large
Eeagli or eage land
weegan
good
Mashuee
a canoe 1
`muttadeaio bad
Mahaweeskt
a little child
wedaums
roast corn
Yunks quash
young woman
cut daus
boiled corn
Squashees
little girl
seaump
-pounded corn
Weenai
old woman
yeokeheag
roast corn pound-
ed
Massakeat Mund sumana Inshun wewachum .- Great spirit give Indian corn.
At the time the above words were taken down, there were no more than seven persons among them who could speak the language, and it may now be considered as extinct.
From the following table exhibiting the same words in the Mas- sachusetts, Narraganset, and Montauk languages, it is evident that they are all kindred languages, and that they are, with very little variation, the same dialect.
Massachusetts.
Narraganset.
Montauk.
one:
Nequit
Nequit Nucquit
two
Neese -
Neese
Neese
three
Nisk
Nisk Nisk
four
Yau
Yoh
Yuaw
five
Nepanna
Nepanau Nepaw
six
Negutta
Qutta
Conma
seven
Nesausuk Enada
Nusus
eight
Shwosuk
Showsuck
Swans
nine
Paskoogun
Paskugit Passecucond
ten
Piuk
Piuck
Pyunck
king
Sachem
Saunchem
----
STATE OF NEW-YORK. 265
queen
Saunks
Seaunskq
corn
Ewachim
Wewauchum
- land
Ohke
Auke
Keagh or eage
. water
Nippe
Neip
canoe
Mishoon Mashuee
a girl
Squasese
Squashees
young woman Nunksqau
Yunk Squash
old woman
Weinse
Weenai
The foregoing extracts we have taken from the Hon. Silas Wood's Sketch of the first settlement of Long Island. We have supposed that they could not fail to interest most readers. Mr. Wood has collected a mass of intelligence in relation to the Indians who formerly resided on that island, which he has arranged in a methodical manner. Nearly the whole may be said to be new, as what had been published before was confined to some insulated facts, without order or method.
Mr. Wood has been at great pains in examining public and pri- vate collections of papers belonging to individuals, and has, per- haps, collected every thing respecting the ancient inhabitants of Long Island that is extant.
The following is an imperfect vocabulary of the Powhatan lan- guage, constructed from fragments of that language found in the travels of Captain John Smith, the founder of the state of Virgi- nia. The reader, on comparing some of the words, will find that they agree with some of the words in Mr. Wood's Sketch of Long Island.
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Cardinal Numbers.
Ne-cut
One
Ningh
-
Two
Nuss
-
Three
Yowgh
Four
Pa-ranske
Five
Co-mo-tinch
Six
Top-pa-woss
-
-
Seven
Nuss-wash
-
-
. Eight
Ke-ka-tawgh
- Nine
VOL. II.
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35
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266
HISTORY OF THE
Kas-keke
Ten
Ningh-sa-poo-eks-ku
Twenty
Nuss-a-poo-eks-ku -
Thirty
Yowgh-a-poo-eks-ku -
Forty
Fifty
Sixty
Seventy
.Eighty
Ke-ka-tawgh-tass-a-poo-eks-ku Ninety
Ne-cutt-ough-ty-sin-ough
One hundred
Ne-cutt-weyn-qua-ough
One thousand.
Nem-a-rough
A man.
A woman.
A boy.
A priest, elder, &c.
A. king ; also the chief of a tribe, a captain, &c. Every town had its werowance.
A captain or leader. The head of a canton.
Ke-wass-a - Chief God.
Okee
-
Qui-yough-co-sugh-es
-
God. Okees is the plural.
A species of gods, who were sup- posed to be inferior to the Okees. The priests, after death, were supposed to be transformed into Quiyoughcosughes, who in the other world held subordinate stations.
Qui-youk-o-suck, or Qui-yough- ka-souck Qui-yough-co-han-ock
Paw-cor-an-ces
Mach-a-com-o-ko
An elder, a priest, &c. The town, place, or habitation, of the priests. The place where sacrifices were offered.
Altars made of stones, upon which tobacco, &c. were offered ; a pile ; a heap. House of the town ; a storehouse, &c.
3
Cre-ne-po -
Mar-o-wan-chess-o -
Caw-caw-wass-ough -
Wer-o-wance
Cau-cor-ouse
Pa-rans-ke-stass-a-poo-eks-ku Co-mo-tinch-tass-a-poo-eks-ku Top-pa-woss-tass-a-poo-cks-ku Nuss-wash-tass-a-poo-cks-ku
267
Ye-haw-kans -
· Houses ; habitations.
Matchcores -
Mockasins
-
- Clothing ; skins or garments. Shoes. The Powhatans, & others, - wore shoes made of deer skins dressed. Beds ; places of rest ; a bcd.
Tussan
Po-ka-ta-wer
-
Fire ; heat.
Attawp
-
-
A bow.
Attonce
-
-
Arrows.
Monakooke
-
A sword; the plural is Monakoo- kes. A target or shield.
Aumoughhowgh Pawcussacks
Guns.
Tomahacks
A tomahawk ; a small axe or axes. Axes.
Tockabacks
-
Pick-axes.
Tock
-
To pick ; a pick.
Pamesacks
- Knives ; a knife.
Accowprets 1
-
Shears.
Pawpecones -
- Pipes.
Mattassin
-
Copper.
Ussawassin
-
Iron, brass, silver, &c.
Musses
- Woods ; forests.
Attasskuss
- Leaves, weeds, or grass.
Canowe, or Canoc
-
A canoe; a little boat.
Chepsin
- Land ; the ground.
Shacquohocan -
A stone or rock.
Wepenter
-
A cuckold ; the husbandof an adul- tress.
Suckahanna
Water.
Noughmass -
A fish. -
Copotone -
A sturgeon. Flesh ; meat.
Weghshaughes -
Sawweehone -
- Blood.
Netoppew -
- Friends.
Marrapough -
- Enemies.
Maskapough -
- The worst of the enemies.
-. The best of friends.
Mawchick chammay Osies
- The heavens.
I
=
Ahacks
-
STATE OF NEW-YORK.
268
HISTORY OF THE
Pummahumps -
The stars:
Keskoughe
- The sun.
Keskoughes
Suns.
Nepawweshowghs
Moons.
Rawcosowghs
- Days.
Toppquough
-
Nights.
Kekughes
-
Lives.
Righcomoughes
-
Deaths.
Morap
-
Grass.
Mowchick
-
I myself; I.
Tassautessus
- Strangers.
Strangers ; also English ships.
Uttasantasough Popanow
.
Winter ; cold weather:
Cattapeuk
Spring ; putting out of the leaves ; leaving of the trees.
Cohattayough
Summer.
Nepinough Taquitock
The earing of corn. The harvest and falling of the leaves ; frost time.
Assentamens -
Pease.
Pausarowmena -
A dish of victuals made of scorch- ed corn boiled with beans.
Temmes -
A basket which was used as a sieve : a sieve.
Manotyens - 1
Ponap
A kind of bread made of corn meal baked in hot ashes ; bread is the literal.
Rawrenoke Rawranoke
White beads ; beads. -
Rawrenock
White.
Rawre, or Rawra - Noke, or Nock -
Ustatahamen, or Ustatahamena
- Beads.
A dish of food prepared from the grouts of corn (which would not pass through the temmes,) by boiling.
Pungnough Food prepared from burnt cora made into broth.
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- Baskets.
STATE OU NEW-YORK.
269
Macocks Audowgh Maracocks
-
-
-
Putchamins
-
Messamins
-
A grape of the size of a cherry; the grape.
Chechinquamins
A small fruit with a husk like a chesnut growing on little trees :
1 the fruit itself is like an acorn.
Rawcomens
A berry much like the Englishi gooseberry ; a gooseberry.
Paw-co-hic-co-ra
Drink made of water mixed with walnuts pulverized ; it was milk white ; beverage.
Hiccora -
- A walnut.
O coughtanamnis -
-
Berries, resembling capers, grow- ing in wet valleys, &c.
Mattoum -
A plant resembling a beet; it is edible when roasted.
" A root growing in marshes, and of , the size of a potatoe; it was roasted and eaten.
Tocknough -
- A root.
Wighsacan -
-
Pemmenaw
-
-
A kind of grass which was fabri- cated into thread.
Pocones. -
-
Musquaspen
A root of the size of the finger, and as red as blood.
Wogawghtawgh
- Very hungry.
Tarks -
-
Little ; small.
Yowo -
-
This.
Kakatorawines
- What call you if, &c.
Kator
-
-.
Truely ; verily.
Small roots which when dried and powdered turn red ; these were used for swellings, ointment, paint, &c.
A medicinal root.
Tockawhouge
Pumpkins; squashes. To make ; also a chain.
A fruit resembling the lemon ; the mandrake,
A plumb resembling a medler ; a · plumb.
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HISTORY OF THE
Quagh Keragh
- Come, bring, &c. Then.
Uttapitchawayne
- To lie ; to tell a falsehood.
Utteke -
1
Anpechitchs,
- Get you gone ; begone. Stay ; staid ; he staid. Hither ; then.
Peya -
Wighwhip
-
Quickly.
Acquintan -
-
Any more. 1
Casacunnakack -
In how long a time. In how ma- ny days. .
Yourowgh
`A great way hence.
Tawnor
- Where. .
Nehiegh
Mache -
. To dwell ; he lives, &c. Now ; at this time. . Come hither. -
Patiaquagh
Hither ; here.
Kekaten -
-
-
Spaughtynere -
-
To run; run.
Neer.
-
Not; and.
Mattagh -
-
To do ; do you.
Wawgh -
-
· Him. -
Utchunquoyes -
-
An animal like a wild cat ; the wild cat.
The racoon.
O passom - Assapanick -
-
The flying squirrel.
tMussasscus -
The muskrat. -
Aroughcund*
-
Are Moheakanneew.
Mussquassust
.
Our people have borrowed the words moccasin, tomahawk, ca- noe, racoon, opossum, and musquash, from the Powhatan or Mo- heakanneew language .- See the words mockasin, tomahack, ca- nowe, aroughcun, or aroughcund, opassom, and mussasscus, or mussquassus.
The word Pone, in common use among the Virginians, is from the Powhatan word Ponap. The Powhatans called bread made of corn meal baked in hot ashes Ponap.
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To bid ; he bids.
Patia
Epeyaweyack -
- Come again.
*Aroughcun, or Rarowcun
The oppossum.
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Powow, a dance ; also a priest or magician ; also Culheag, a log- trap.
Sachem in the same language is Saunchem.
Samp, pounded corn, is from Seaump, a Montauk word.
Weeckwaum, is the word from which we have derived Wigwam, an Indian house.
Wampum, money. Wampum was composed of small beads made of shells, strung on belts or in chains. They were perforated. They were white, purple, blue, black, &c. A belt of wampum was often bestowed as a token of friendship. In treaties it was con- sidered a confirmation. Belts were always exchanged on such oc- ' casions.
. On comparing the Powhatan names of places with the Moheak- anneew names, the reader will find most of the terminations alike. The uck, the ack, the eck, the ock, and the ick, correspond. Names of places having such terminations, are now, common in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New-York, and New England. Words ending in up, cus, co, on, en, ag, um, unt, et, ank, ink, unk, ut, ant, an, nd, and agh, are similar. Many of these are also common. The reader, by comparing the names of some places, will find them the same, or differing slightly. He will also find words alike except the last syllable. The structure of the words denoting the names of places is analogous, and such as would not occur were they not derived from the same language:
A small collection of Agoneasean words.
Uscot
One.
Teckane
Two.
O chsooh
.
Three.
Kihyalee
.
Four.'
Wiske
Five.
Yawyock
Six.
Jawtock
Seven.
Sautagoh
Eight.
Teuchtoh
Nine.
Weyalegh
. Ten.
Uscotyawaunlegh
.
Eleven.
Teckaneyawaunlegh
Twelve.
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272
HISTORY OF THE
Ochsoohyawaunlegh Kigyaleeyawaunlegh Wiskeyawaunlegh Yauyockyawaunlegh Jawtockyawaunlegh Sautagohyawaunlegh Teuchtohyawaunlegh Towaughsaugh
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