Account of a Voyage of Discovery Part 35

June Roocoo gwautsee (lit. 6th).

July Sitchee gwautsee (lit. 7th).

August Fatchee gwautsee (lit. 8th).

September Coo gwautsee (lit. 9th).

October Joo gwautsee (lit. 10th).

November Shee moo st.i.tchee, or joo itchee gwautsee.

December Shee wasee, or joo nee gwautsee.

The twentieth day of the tenth month (October), _Joo gwautsee, neejoo nitchee_, was, according to Loo-Choo time, the second day of the tenth month, _joo gwautsee, nee nitchee_.]

[Footnote 84: A strong aspirate on the first syllable.]

[Footnote 85: The negative is almost invariably placed after the word.]

[Footnote 86: See note on numerals.]

[Footnote 87: The sound of the _oong_, or _oomb_, is very difficult, and can only be approximated by closing the teeth firmly and compressing the sound of _oong_.]

[Footnote 88: See note on Numerals.]

[Footnote 89: See Sentences Nos. 49 to 53.]

[Footnote 90: _Sheenoostang_ signifies to _cover over_, and possibly _ooroo_ should have been written _eeroo_, which is _colour_; and this word, signifying _painting_, would then be literally _to cover over with colour_.]

[Footnote 91: This is literally the _belly of the hand_, or the _hand's belly_. For an explanation of the _noo_ see observations on the Loo-Choo language at the beginning.]

[Footnote 92: This word seems to derive its origin from _ackka_, _burning_.]

[Footnote 93: This word, _Katcheemeeoong_, to pinch, appears to be formed of the words _Ka_, skin, _chee_, blood, and _meeoong_, to see; and may be translated to _see the blood through the skin_, or _in the skin_.]

[Footnote 94: This sound is not unlike that which the s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g about the scull of a boat on the pivot causes.]

[Footnote 95: The same word signifies a flower.]

[Footnote 96: _Feetchoong_ signifies to pull, so that it may with more propriety be applied to the harp, or touching the strings of the violin with the fingers.]

[Footnote 97: A strong aspirate on the last syllable.]

[Footnote 98: See Sentence No. 105.]

[Footnote 99: Literally, to upset.]

[Footnote 100: For the sound of this word see note on the English word _no_.]

[Footnote 101: See Sentence No. 8.]

[Footnote 102: _Narang_, or _nang_, is used on most occasions as the negative.]

[Footnote 103: The same word signifies _sweet potatoes_.]

[Footnote 104: This word it will be observed signifies both _to screw_ and _to scull;_ this may originate in the s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g motion of the oar from side to side of the boat.]

[Footnote 105: See Sentences No. 38 to 44.]

[Footnote 106: The similarity in sound of this word to that of a character (_Hoonatee_) written on a piece of paper in the hats of the men employed working for the ships, has suggested the idea that the meaning of the character may have some reference to a ship.]

[Footnote 107: See Sentences Nos. 102 and 103.]

[Footnote 108: Words of Loo-Choo songs:

"Sasa sangcoomeh sangcoomeah kadee yooshee daw, tantoong tantoong tang."

A boat song: "Whee yo ee.--Whee yo ee." The steersman gave "Whee," and was followed by the other men with a repet.i.tion of "Whee yo ee."

Another boat song: "Quee yay hanno ha.--Quee yay hanno ha." To both these airs the rowers kept very good time.]

[Footnote 109: See Sentences Nos. 1 to 7.]

[Footnote 110: The _kawroo_ is a small square stone excavated a little on the upper part, in which an offering of rice is made. On the face of this stone is carved a variety of characters denoting the rank, &c. of the person who makes the offering.]

[Footnote 111: See Sentences in Part II.]

[Footnote 112: See Sentences Nos. 29, 32, 33, and 37.]

[Footnote 113: See Sentences Nos. 108, 109, and 110.]

[Footnote 114: _Amazackkee_ is a contraction of the words _amasa_, sweet, and _sackkee_, wine; the latter always changing _s_ into _z_ when preceded by any other word. See _wine_, _strong_, _weak_, &c.]

[Footnote 115: Tattoo marks will be found in Part II.]

[Footnote 116: _Eechoo._ This word is used to denote _thread_, silk_, and _ribbon._]

[Footnote 117: _Ootchoong_, or _oochoong_, signifies _to work_, _to play_, and _to make_.]

[Footnote 118: Possibly this word implies the act of swallowing.]

[Footnote 119: The sound of this word is precisely the same as that of our _tobacco_. I have, therefore, spelt it in the same manner.]

[Footnote 120: See Sentence No. 109.]

[Footnote 121: See Sentences Nos. 45, 47, and 48.]

[Footnote 122: This is probably the _tae fung_ (great wind of the Chinese, called by us _tyfoon_), a severe gale of wind in the China Sea.]

[Footnote 123: See Sentence No. 73.]

[Footnote 124: The year at Loo-Choo, according to Jeeroo's account, is divided into twelve months of thirty days each, making in all 360 days, and every sixth year one month is intercalated.]