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Wrecked among cannibals in the Fijis cover

Wrecked among cannibals in the Fijis

Chapter 8: A FEW WORDS OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE FEGEE ISLANDS
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About This Book

A young third officer from Salem recounts a South Pacific voyage that blends shipboard routine, commercial barter, and sudden disaster. He details trade practices—especially the harvest, boiling, and drying of beche-de-mer—exchange of iron tools and firearms for food and labor, and the erection of curing and trade houses on shore. The narrative turns to a shipwreck and subsequent violent encounters with hostile island groups, followed by efforts to survive and escape. Supplemental notes, vocabularies, and illustrations provide context on local material culture, boats, weapons, and other sights observed during the expedition.

A FEW WORDS OF THE LANGUAGE
OF THE FEGEE ISLANDS

The natives always add the word Sah, to all words excepting substantives.

FegeeEnglish
Andree´Beche-le-mer
A-tap´-pahWhat
Ing-go´That or those
Lah´-goGo away
Oh-mi´Come here
MiHere
Si-an´-drahHow do you do
Fah-ing-go´This fashion, or this way
Papa lang´-eeGeneral name for civilized people
Fah-a-Be´teeLike a Fegee man
Fah-a-papa-lang´-eeLike a civilized man
La´boLarge
Li-LiSmall
Ba-na´-kakGood
DahBad
Un-dee´-nahTrue
Las´-soFalse
Bon-ee´-tahHandsome
Seeng-ah´No
Ee´-oYes
Neen´-eeAngry
Tom´-a-TahMan
La´-vahWomen
E-val´-eeMusket or a bow
Anti-ky´House
Nung-a-Sow´Bullets or arrows
Ma-Loon´Club
A-noo´-kooSand or powder
A-bat´-toStones
Am-boo´-kahFire
Nah-cow´Wood
Fa-nu´-ahLand—the shore
Dry-and-dry´Lengthy
Lakah-Lakah´Short
Boo´-lahStrong or brave
Ra´-RahFrightened
An-Drew´Blood
Am-Boo´terCooked
An-Dro´kahRaw
Wank´-ahShip, canoe
Bel´lo-Bel´loBoat
Pie´-oOar, paddle
Thoo´-larPole
Ee-lah´-therSail
Ra´-VahHoist
Wye´-DeweeSalt water
Wye-Ee-NoWater to drink
Cun´-a-Cun´Eat
Ee-NoDrink
Mun´dryBread
Poark´-ahHogs
Oo´-feeYams
A-boon´-teePlantains
A-oo´-toBread, fruit
Ee´-kahFish
Mah-Seem´-ahSalt
Ah-nee´-ewCocoanuts
Too-rong´-ahChief
Ky-SeeCommon man
Mar-Ty´Carpenter
Toon-en-Dye´Helmsman
Ky-Fa-nu´-ahLandsman
Ky-Wye´Sailor
Tah´-neeStranger
Bul´lee-Bul´leeTrade, barter
Par´-lee-CoChizzel
Mo´ro-Mo´roBeads
Tambour´Whale’s tooth
I-sail-eeKnife, sword
So´-BerTub or hogshead
Ca´-ToBox
A-rom´-boBag
Gu´tee-Gu´teeBasket
Du´-nahOne—1
A-roo´-ahTwo—2
To´loThree—3
VahFour—4
Lee´-mahFive—5
OnoSix—6
Ve´-toSeven—7
Wah´-looEight—8
Thee´-wahNine—9
Tee´-neeTen—10
Car´-looGreat Spirit
Em-Bet´taPriest
See´ng-ahSun
Boo´-lahMoon
Tung´-eeWind
Oo´-therRain
Dumb´-an-Dumb´Red colour
Cur-ra-la-row´erGreen colour
Lo´-ah-Lo´-ahBlack or blue colour
I-bo´-LahWhite or yellow colour
Sam-ber´-rahBy and by
Sah-Vet´herHow many
Sah-Ee´-BeeWhere is it
Gwe´goYourself
Gwo´Myself
Cot´he-Thung´-eeWhat is your name?
Bullee-Atap´-pahWhat will you trade for?
Ky-Bee-TeeFegee man
Ky-AmericaAmerican
Ky-Bullee-Tan´eeEnglishman
Ky-TongaTongee man

The Fegee people are named after the principal things they are acquainted with, as their weapons, the elements, vegetables, etc.

Wallis IslandEnglish
Tanga´-tahMan
Fee-fee´-naWomen
A-lee´-keeChief
A-Too´-ahPriest and the Great Spirit
Lil-La´Good
Cov´-eeBad
Li´-HeeLarge
See-SeeSmall
A-Ty´-heeOne—1
A roo´-ahTwo—2
ToloThree—3
VahFour—4
Lee´-mahFive—5
Ono´Six—6
Vee´-toSeven—7
Wah´-looEight—8
Thee´-wahNine—9
Ung´ a boo´-roTen—10