(K) p. 174. Remarks on the formation of an Alphabet, &c. by Mr Eliot.

"I use the same characters which are of most common use in our English books; viz. the Roman and Italic letters. Also our alphabet is the same with the English, saving in these few things following. First, The difficulty of the rule about the letter c, by reason of the change of its sound in the five sounds, ca, ce, ci, co, cu, being sufficiently helped by the letter k and s; we there fore lay by the letter c, saving in ch, of which there is frequent use in their language. Yet I do not put it out of the alphabet for the use of it in other languages, but the character ch next to it, and call it chee. Secondly, I put i consonant into our alphabet, and give it this character j, and call it ji, or gi, as this syilable soundeth in the English word giant. The proper sound of g is as the English word age soundeth. We use only two accents. The acute' to shew what syllable is first produced in pronouncing of the word; which if it be not attended, no nation can understand their own language. There be twenty-seven characters: the reason of increasing the number is above, (viz. the desire of giving to each letter a

uniform sound.) And I have been thus far bold with the alphabet, because it is the first time of writing this language; and it is better to settle our foundation right at first, than to have to mend it afterwards.

it

"When I taught our Indians first to lay out a word into syllables, and then, according to the sound of every syllable, to make it up with the right letters; viz. if it were a simple sound, then one vocal made this syllable; if it were such a sound as required some of the consonants to make up, then the adding the right consonants, either before the vocal, or after it, or both. They quickly apprehended and understood this epitomie of the art of spelling, and could soon learn to read. The men, women, and up-grown youth do thus rationally learn to read; but the children learn by rote or custom, as the other children do. Such as desire to learn this language, must be attentive to pronounce right; especially to produce that syllable which is first to be produced; then they must spell by art, and accustom their tongues to pro→ nounce their syllables and words; then learn to read such books as are printed in their language. Legendo, Scribendo, Loquendo, are the three means to learn a language."-Eliot's Indian Grammar Begun, p. 1-5,

(L) p. 176. Statement respecting the Indians under the care of the Rev. Richard Bourne.

From Mr. Bourne's account of the Indians among whom he laboured, presented to Major Gookin in 1674, it appears that they amounted to four hundred and ninety-seven; that they resid ed in upwards of twenty different places; that ninety of them were baptized, and twenty-seven in full communion with the church; that, besides a hundred children who had lately begun to read and write, there were a hundred and forty-two able to read Indian, seventy-two to write, and nine to read English; and that eight were employed in preaching the gospel.

Mr Bourne left no successor in the ministry, except an Indian named Simon Popmonet, who prosecuted his labours among his brethren upwards of forty years. After his death, the Indians at Mashpee were not left: destitute. Joseph Bourne, a great grandson of their first minister, was ordained their pastor in 1729; and, after he resigned his office, in 1729, Solomon Briant, a judicious Indian, commenced his labours among them, and continued to serve them in the gospel. till he was about eighty years old.Coll. of Mass. Hist. Soc. vol. i. p. 196–199; voi išš.p. 1901, 91.

(M) p. 205. Letter from the Rev. Samuel Treat, containing a brief view of his labours and success among the Indians in the neighbourhood of Eastham.

Mr Treat obtained his degree of Master of Arts, at Harvard College, in 1669. According to Dr C. Mather, he was "most active" in his la bours among the Indians. The following letter, addressed to the Rev. Increase Mather, President of Harvard College, is dated at Eastham, where he acted as pastor, 23d August, 1693.

"Reverend and Worthy Sir,

"You may be assured as followeth; that there are five hundred and five adult persons of Indians within the limits of our township, unto whom, these many years past, I have from time to time imparted the Gospel of our Lord Jesus in their own language, (and I truly hope not without success); and yet I continue in the same service, earnestly imploring, and not without hopes, expecting and waiting for a more plentiful downpouring of the spirit from on high among them. And I verily do not know of, nor can I learn that there is so much as one of these five hundred In

dians that does obstinately absent from, but do jointly frequent and attend on the preaching of the word, and countenance the same; not only frequenting and attending seasons of worship of a divine sanction, but also all other occasional opportunities, when the gospel is dispensed to them; and when our congregations solemnize public days of prayer with fasting, or of praises, (I usually giving them advertisement thereof) they readily comply therewith, in their respective assemblies.

4

"They have four distinct assemblies, in four villages belonging to our township, in which four assemblies they have four teachers of their own choice, of the more sober, well-affected, and understanding persons among them, who do duly preach to them, when I am not with them. These Indian teachers repair to my house once a week, to be further instructed, (pro Modulo meo) in the concernments proper for their service and station.

"There are in the four above-said villages, four schoolmasters, of the best accomplished for that service, who teach their youth to read and write their own language.

"There are also six justices of the peace, or magistrates, in the four above-said villages, who regu