FLATHEADS of the Rocky Mountains[250]
Arrow, tah-pu-minn.
Bear, semachann (ch guttural).
Beaver, skaló.
Bow, soh-nónn; same word as for gun.
Buffalo, zotúnn (soft low, and indistinct; o full).
Child, skochkússa (ch guttural; sa low and indistinct).
Deer, zinechkóhch (ch guttural; the whole indistinct and low).
Dog, nachketsä (e short).
Ear, tchäh-sä̍uonn.
Earth, sopúth.
Elk, chton-skutsiss (ch guttural; the whole indistinct and low).
Eye, ehsuetst.
Fire, stehchke (st with the point of the tongue; ch guttural; final e ½).
Foot, tah-essi̍nn (e ½).
God, inuméhcho (i like e; ch guttural).
Head, estáchk (es soft; ch guttural).
Man, taiskáltomo (little emphasis and low).
Moon, ehs-pach-kann (low and in the roof of the mouth).
Mouth, onuchuaye (ch guttural; final e ½).
Pipe (tobacco), simä̍h-noch (simah short; noch guttural; little emphasis).
Star, skoch-koiomm (low and run together; och guttural).
Sun, ehs-pach-kann (low and in the roof of the mouth).
Tomahawk, soh-nónn.
Water, saotuch (low; ch guttural).
Woman, semääm (e ½; a and a separated).
FOOTNOTES:
[250] Written from the pronunciation of the Blackfoot chief, Ninoch-Kiä̍iu. The Flatheads live in the Rocky mountains; and according to the missionary, Parker, number only eight hundred souls. They are said to speak the same language as the Ponderas [Pend d'Oreille] and Spokein [Spokan] Indians. The custom of flattening the head by pressure is not found among them, at least at present (Townsend, op. cit., p. 175); but this is done by several tribes on the Columbia as is stated also in Astoria. All travellers who have visited this people bear witness to their upright and noble conduct, as well as to their piety. Like the Nez-Percés, of whom the same is said, they have borrowed a number of Christian usages and beliefs, among them the conscientious observance of Sunday (see Adventures of Captain Bonneville, p. 248; and Ross Cox). They are reputed to be brave warriors; of this I was assured by the Blackfoot Indians themselves, who are often at war with them and are their bitterest enemies, and who also showed me many trophies taken from them.—Maximilian.
Comment by Ed. Samuel Parker, Journal of an Exploring Tour beyond the Rocky Mountains (Ithaca, N. Y., 1838). See also our volume xxi, p. 335, note 112; Washington Irving, Astoria (Philadelphia, 1836); Ross Cox, Adventures upon the Columbia River (London, 1831); and our volume vi, p. 276, note 84.