Page:The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 1(14).djvu/4

 THE PERTH GAZETTE, AND WESTERN AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL.

(Continued.) Under these circumstances, there can be no impropriety in appealing to the British Government. If the Houses of Parliament will not take any higher view of the subject, perhaps, they will be influenced by financial considerations. Every tribe of the natives that are instructed, will learn to work for their bread; and will immediately require clothing. The success of the missionary, therefore, will procure employment for the manufacturers of the Mother Country; and the farther he makes his way into the interior, the more he will add to the wealth of the empire. If the aboriginal inhabitants of Australia were consumers of the manufactures of the Mother Country—and consumers of her manufactures they certainly will become, when they receive a knowledge of christianity—she would be independent of the American and other markets, where so many attempts are now making to rival the industry of her people.

One word to those who profess to be christians in the settlement, and to the christian public in the British Isles. How long will it be before you take pity upon this people? Are your hearts made of adamant? Have they no compassion? Here is a people free from idolatry; free also from European vices—a peopie ready, and so far prepared for the reception of the gospel,—a people who have already heard a Saviours name proclaimed to them, who have wondered at the strange but heavenly sound, I bowed the knee with those that worshiped him in their own wild forests, and now wait till the great mystery of Christianity—god manifest in the flesh—be unveiled to them—a people, on whose unnumbered generations not a ray of divine revelation has shone since the days of Noah; and many of whom, if you delay, will drop into an unchangeable eternity; utterly ignorant of that Redeemer in whom centre all your hopes of happiness either in this world or the world to come.

A of the language of Derbal.

A, b, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, t, u, v, w, y.

The orthography perhaps cannot be accurately and finally fixed, till we get such a knowledge of the language as will enable us to trace the different words to the proper roots whence they are derived For, as derivation is necessary to elucidate the proper meaning of words; and, as time and circumstances frequently cut out new channels for themselves, and not only isolate words but clothe them with a new dress, it's the duty of the orthoepist, without interfering with the established rules of pronunciation, to abide by, or restore, when necessary, the original orthography, and clothe the words as much as possible, in their native garb; not only in order to distinguish the present roots to which the different families belong, but for the sake of the elucidation of the language.

Simplicity in the orthography of a language is not less important than desirable. And, as the vowels in Derbalese are not much varied, each having seldom more than two distinct sounds, which must be invariably governed by accentuation, I have disencumbered the language as much as possible of consonants. For instance, when in English, it is intended to deprive the vowel a of its broad sound, as in fate and fare, it is usual to shut it up with a double consonant, as in balm and hammer: but as the broad sound of this vowel seldom occurs in Derbalese, I have thought it better, for the present, when it does occur, to distinguish it with an emphasis; as in Gálup and Yàgan; by which the language will be freed from a multitude of consonants, thus easily dispensed with. In every case therefore in which the vowel a is not thus marked, it is pronounced in the manner usual on the continent of Europe and North Britain.

But enough on this subject. Pronunciation cannot be acquired by reading: it must be communicated by tuition. Suffice it for the present, to observe, that Derbalese resembles English, in its tendency to an antepenultimate accent. Sometimes, the accent is placed still higher.

I am afraid few of my readers will catch the proper pronunciation of the letters ng, when combined. No one but a Hebrew scholar can form any idea of the sound, which these characters are intended to convey.

The letter y, when it follows the letter d, is not to be pronounced by itself. It is merely intended to soften that character.

Though I am prepared to answer for the general accuracy of the Vocabulary, it cannot be snpposed, under the circumstances of the case, that I am certain of the correctness of every word. I have therefore put those of the meaning of which I have any doubt in italics.

Where the word consists of five syllables or more, it has a double accent. In other cases the antepenultimate prevails.

THE VOCABULARY. , apparently, the name of the supreme. Should the root, whence this term is derived, be discovered in Derbalese, it will, I am inclined to think, be found to import the originator; the former of all things; the foundation of life.

The word is not unlike Goonja, the name of the supreme among the oborigines of South Africa, when it was first discovered.

The term is masculine.

—another being.

This term is feminine.

—another.—But this term seems to be plural; and to import a family. If so, it signifies that the starry worlds with all their inhabitants, are the offspring of the Deity; or were created by him.

Moonak,—the place where the Deity is more immediately supposed to display his presence; Heaven.

All these are described to be maar-beelenak, above the firmament. The three persons here named, may be found to be nothing more than demi-gods; or men deified. But, if it should be found to be a principle in their creed, that they are immortal and eternal, it will be an interesting discovery.

Ngorrabberrak, an expression denoting the displeasure of the Deity.

Maar-warra-wallagobee, an opening in the firmament apparently implying a communication between heaven and earth.

Maar-book, the firmament. The word is used also to denote air.

N. B. Book is used both as a definite and indefinite article; and invariably follows the noun. It is also attached to nouns proper. This is a singular peculiarity.

Nanga-book, the sun.

Batta, the beams of the sun.

Nanga-batta-nynowl, the sun is risen—literally—enthroned. See nynow.

Nanga-ngnardog, the sun is set.

Nanga-warloo, the sun is returning. See wuraloo.

Nangar-mooreejoon, to give light; to see. The expression seems to import the sun dispelling the darkness.

Nanga-banya, a hot, or sweating sun. See banya.

Mirgaduk, morning. See mirdak.

Malyarak, meridian.

Mirdak | also | night.

Bidooroong, afternoon.

Gareembee, sun set.

Moorat | See moorn.

Mullijee, shadow.

Meega-book, the moon.

Beerdyat, high

Meega-meemak, the moon is risen

Beerat, day.

Waroo, darkness.

Meega-derbaga, the moon is set. Changes of the moon.

Meega-beree, or wyaberda, first quarter. See beree.

Meega-newmap, in Mooro, ngoomon, in Beeliar, full moon.

Meega-nynown. last quarter. See nynow

Meega-maral-gangoween, change of the moon. The moon is changing hands, seems to be the import of the expression. See mara

Nangar, the stars

Walgen the rain-bow, Moolagar thunder,

Babumberee lightning, Wagal wind,

Dalagooroo, sound; the sound of the wind blowing

Dogee, rain

Gooree, to rain

Moolat, hail

Boodjar, land; the earth

Dyeedyalla, clay

Gooiara, sand

Booyee, rock; a rock; a stone. The word has no plural number. But if a rock show its head above water in the sea, the same distinction holds in Derbalese as in English. It is not called an island or an isle; but, simply, a rock, booyee

Gordo, an isle

Boodjar-gordo, an island

Katta, a hill. See katta

Boorda, a valley

Boorda, by and by. Importing, in the one case, an interval of space; and in the other an interval of time

Moko, water

Moko-dyalooma, salt water

Moko batoot, fresh water

Ngoora, a lake

Yaragan, a river

Gabee, a well, a lake, a river—any receptacle of water from a drinking cup to the ocean

Gabee younanee, go to the well

Gabee-maar, a cloud. Literally, the well of the sky; or the fountain of the firmament

Gabee-wodin, the sea; the main ocean

Gabooluk, pregnancy; the state of a woman with child

The different parts of the human body, This section is complete

Dyoondal, white; fair

Moora, black; dark coloured

Katta, the hair

Nganga, the beard

Mooning, the Mustaches

Yoorat, the head

Mungura, crown of the head

Moordu, back of the head

Dunga, the ears

Damillee, the face

Yoordo, the forehead

Yaba, the temples

Mingat, the eye-brows

Meeal, the eyes

Meealana, the eye lids

Moolya, the nose

Karup, the nostrils

Dya, the lips

Madya, the mouth

Nalgo, the teeth

Dallang, the tongue

Goonyan, the palate. The similarity of the sound in the French word gout, signifying taste, and pronounced, goo, is perhaps not unworthy of notice.

Boomo, the chin

Wardo, the neck

Nunga, back of the neck

Doorgat, the throat

Ngundu, the chest

Bibee, the breast

Bibee-moollya, the nipple Literally, the nose of the breast. See moolya

Gongo, the back

Kaburla, the belly

Naral, the side

Beelye, the navel

Dtowel, the thigh

Wanik, the knee. Possibly the knee-cap

Boneet, the knee

Matta, the leg

Wallit, the calf of the leg

Goodye, the shin

Bilga, the ancle

Geena, the foot, the toes

Ngardee, the heel

Bunara, the sole. Geena-bunara, the sole of the foot

Monga, the shoulder

Ngooiya, the arm pit

Marga, the arm

Wangoo, the arm, from the shoulder to the elbow

Nogat, the elbow

Mardal, the wrist

Mara, the hand, the fingers

Nara, the hollow of the hand

Kaburn, the face of the hand; the palm

Mara gongo, the back of hand

Beree, a nail; the nails

Mara-beree, finger nails

Geena-beree, toe nails

Dyoonga, bone, a bone

Eemba skin,

Maboo, skin of the Kangaroo

Beedy, the veins

Ngooboo, blood

Goodja, the womb

Katta-dyeedan, fair haired

Katta-dyeedal, grey haired

Katta-moorn, black haired

Barnulliara, bald

Ngoombart, the ornaments, made on the chests, backs, and shoulders of the men

This is done by the women.

The flesh is cut, or scoriated in various forms with a sharp stone. The fire is then applied to it, till it rise in blisters, presenting various figures in alto; in which form it is left to heal of its own accord.

Booram, before; the front.

Ngoolyar, behind; rear—evidently from ngoolya, the arm-pit hid, out of view

Mamerup, a man. Yago, a woman

Mandigero, a married woman; a wife

Goolangooree, a babe; pronounced yoolangery But, it is so evidently derived from the same root with the following words that I have ventured to retain what I conceive to be the proper orthography.

Goolang, a youth; boy or girl

Gooraat, a girl. Goorarda, a boy

Goolamaroo, a yong man; unmarried; unbearded

Goolamata, a virgin Bidyer, father

Mael, in Mooro, mai, in Beeliar, mother

Gangooroogoo, a brother. Wooree, a sister

Girdagan, a relation; or one very like another

Babing, a friend.

Babing-garee, friend by marriage

(To be continued)

Edited, Printed, and Published by CHARLES MACFAULL, at the Gazette Office, Perth

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