Lecture on the Aborigines of Newfoundland - Delivered Before the Mechanics' Institute, at St. John's, - Newfoundland, on Monday, 17th January, 1859 by Joseph Noad
page 45 of 48 (93%)
page 45 of 48 (93%)
|
mainly, to guide the point into the body of the animal, and which
being effected, the shaft was withdrawn, and a strong strip of deer skin, which was always kept fastened to the spear head, was held by the Indian, and who in this manner secured his prey. CANOES. These varied from sixteen to twenty-two feet in length, with an upward curve towards each end. Laths were introduced from stem to stern instead of planks--they were provided with a gunwhale or edging which, though slight, added strength to the fabric--the whole was covered on the outside with deer skins sewed together and fastened by stitching the edges round the gunwhale. LANGUAGE. The language of the Boeothicks, Mr. Cormack is of opinion, is different from all the languages of the neighbouring tribes of Indians with which any comparison has been made. Of all the words procured at different times from the female Indian Shaw-na-dith-it, and which were compared with the Micmac and Banake (the latter people bordering on the Mohawk) not one was found similar to the language of the latter people, and only two words which could be supposed to have had the same origin, viz.: Keuis--Boeothick--and "Kuse" Banake--both words meaning "Sun,"--and moosin Boeothick, and moccasin, Banake and Micmac. The Boeothick also differs from the Mountaineer or Esquimaux language of Labrador. The Micmac, Mountaineer, and Banake, have no "_r_." The Boeothick has; the three first use "_l_" instead of "_r_." The |
|