Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/447

 Rh chiefly peculiar to the locality of King George's Sound. These will be found marked with the letters (K.G.S.), as those contributed by the Messrs., of the Vasse River Settlement, have been marked with the word (Vasse). To him we are certainly indebted for the first publication of anything approaching to a correct list of the words of this Australian dialect; and any future attempts of the same nature can only be considered as a more expanded form of his original work. Without that vocabularly it is probable that the present would not have been undertaken. This vocabulary is founded upon that of Captain, but is in a much enlarged form, and upon a more comprehensive plan; embracing, also, such additions and alterations as have been the natural result of longer time, greater experience, and a more familiar acquaintance with the language. In the first place, it contains several hundred additional words, inclusive of such tenses of the verbs as have been accurately ascertained (for although the three known tenses are tolerably regular, they are not invariably so). In the next place, the meanings are in general given in a more copious form, and whenever a word has required or admitted of it, the opportunity has been taken of giving an account of everything interesting in the habits, manners, and customs of the aborigines, and in the natural history of the country. In the third place, the English and Australian part has been added, which it was considered, would be of great assistance to such as desire to ascertain any word in the language.

This work owes much of its present form to the industry and attention of Mr., one of the protectors of the aborigines, with some assistance from a friend, whose name I am not at liberty to mention ; but mainly through the means of the interpreter, Mr.