martyred Brebeuf, two hundred years before. M. Cuoq is also the author
of a valuable Iroquois lexicon, with notes and appendices, in which he
discusses some interesting points in the philology of the language. This
lexicon is important, also, for comparison with that of the Jesuit
missionary, Bruyas, as showing how little the language has varied in the
course of two centuries. [Footnote: _Radices Verborum Iroquaeorum.
Auctore R. P. Jacopo Bruyas, Societatis Jesu_. Published in Shea's
"_Library of American Linguistics_" For the works in this
invaluable Library, American scholars owe a debt of gratitude to
Dr. Shea's enlightened zeal in the cause of science and humanity.] The
following particulars respecting the Iroquois tongues are mainly derived
from the works of M. Cuoq, of Bruyas, and of Mr. Wright, supplemented
by the researches of the author, pursued at intervals during several
years, among the tribes of Western Canada and New York. Only a very
brief sketch of the subject can here be given. It is not too much to
say that a complete grammar of any Iroquois language would be at least
as extensive as the best Greek or Sanscrit grammar. For such a work
neither the writer, nor perhaps any other person now living, except M.
Cuoq himself, would be competent.

The phonology of the language is at once simple and
perplexing. According to M. Cuoq, twelve letters suffice to represent
it: _a, c, f, h, i, k, n, o, r, s, t, w_. Mr. Wright employs for
the Seneca seventeen, with diacritical marks, which raise the number to
twenty-one. The English missionaries among the Mohawks found sixteen
letters sufficient, _a, d, e, g, h, i, j, k, n, o, r, s, t, u, w,
y._ There are no labial sounds, unless the _f_, which rarely
occurs, and appears to be merely an aspirated _w_, may be
considered one. No definite distinction is maintained between the vowel
sounds _o_ and _u_, and one of these letters may be dispensed