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[Page 223]

219.
Some account of New Zealand

I must remark that the greatest part of the southern Language was not taken down by myself & I am inclind to beleive that the person who did it for me made use of more letters in spelling the words than were absolutely nescessary  the Genius of the Language especialy in the Southern parts is to add some particle before a noun as we do,  the or a;  the was generaly He, or Ko; they also often add to the end of any word  especialy if it is in answer to a question  the word Öeia which signifies yes, realy, or certainly. this often sometimes led our gentlemen into most longwinded words  one only of which I shall mention as an instance example  in the Bay of Islands a very remarkable Island was calld by the natives Motu Aro  some of our gentlemen askd the name of this from one of the Natives  Who answerd I suppose as usual Kemotu aro  the Gentleman not hearing well the word repeated his question on which the indian again repeated his answer adding Oeia to the end of the name which made it Kemotuaroeiea  this way at least & no other can I account for that Island being calld in the Log book &c Cumattiwarroweia  the same is practisd by the inhabitants of the South Sea Islands only their Particle instead of He, or She, is To, or Ta  their oeia is

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