Page:Archæologia Americana—volume 2, 1836.djvu/65

 SECT. II.] ALGONKIN-LENAPE AND IROQJJOIS NATIONS. 29 proper, or of the old Algonkins. That which he calls the Al- gonkin vocabulary is, with few exceptions, transcribed from La Hontan's or Carver's. Those who understand the language may judge, from the specimens Long gives of his speeches to the Indians, whether he was well acquainted with it. A good vocabulary of the modern Algonkin, as spoken in the villages of that nation in Lower Canada, is wanted. We have but scanty specimens of the Ottawa and Potowot- amie dialects, the last chiefly from Smith Barton, the first writ- ten, in M. Duponceau's presence, by M. Hamelin, an educated half-breed Ottowa. In the appended vocabulary of the Chip- peway or Ojibway language, the words, so far as he has given them, are borrowed from Mr. Schoolcraft, who has lately thrown much light on its structure and character. It is hoped that, enjoying so much better assistance than any other Ameri- can ever did, he will pursue his labors and favor the public with the result. The other words are principally taken from the copious and valuable vocabulary of Dr. E. James. The residue has been supplied by the vocabularies of Dr. Keating and of Sir A. Mackenzie. That of Mackenzie is designated by him as being of the Algonkin language. Coming from Canada, he gives that name to those Indians, from the Grand Portage to Lake Winnipek, whom we call Chippeways. Although it must be admitted that the Algonkins, the Chip- peways, the Ottawas, and the Potowotamies, speak different dia- lects, these are so nearly allied, that they may be considered rather as dialects of the same, than as distinct languages. The same observation applies, though with less force, to the dialect of the Knistinaux, between which and that of the Algonkins and Chippeways, the several vocabularies, particularly those of Mackenzie, exhibit a close aflinity. The Northern Algonkin tribes enumerated under this head, maybe said to form, in ref- erence to language, but one subdivision ; the most numerous and probably the original stock of all the other kindred bran- ches of the same family.* Ottawas, and Potowotamies would amount to near twenty-two thou- sand. It is probable that those living" in Canada are partly included. The Chippeways and Ottowas within the United States amount, by Mr. Schoolcraft's official report, to fourteen thousand. Adding some Ot- towas not included and the Potowotamies, they may together be esti- mated at about nineteen thousand. Including the Knistinaux, and the
 * 1) According to an estimate of the War Department, the Chippeways,