A New Voyage and Description of the Isthmus of America, by Lionel Wafer by Joyce L. E. Elliot;

Author:Joyce, L. E. Elliot;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hakluyt Society

Under 10 they content themselves with naming the particular Number at once; which they do readily. But at the same time that they name Anivego, or 10, they clap together their expanded Hands. And for 11, 12, 13, &c. to 20, they clap together their Hands, and say Anivego; and then separating them, they strike in order the Fingers of the left Hand, one by one, with the Forefinger of the right, saying, Anivego Conjugo, Anivego Poqua, Anivego Pauqua, &c. to the Number they would express, if under 20.

When they would express 20, they clap their Hands twice, (once at every 10) and say Toola Boguah. Toola seems to signifie the same with them, as Score with us. For 21, they say Toola boguah Conjugo; 22, Toola boguah Poquah, &c. To express 30, they clap their Hands thrice, and say Toola boguah Anivego, (Twenty and Ten); for 31, Toola boguah Anivego Conjugo, (Twenty and Eleven), and so on to 40; when again they clap their Hands four times, and say, Toolaguannah, implying another Score; 41, Toola guannah Conjugo, &c. 50, Toola guannah Anivego, (Two Score and Ten); 51, Toola guannah Anivego Conjugo (Two Score and Eleven), &c. The Name of the other Scores to 100, I know not; and there are few of them can reckon so far. For while I was among them I was industrious to learn their Numbers, and ’twas a Diversion I had with them; for they liked well my trying to imitate them, and would be very merry upon it. But ’twas not every one could readily carry me much farther than I have now reckon’d, or set me right if I was out.

Their way of Reckoning thus from Score to Score, is no more than what our old English way was. But their saying instead of 31, 32, One Score and Eleven, One Score and Twelve, &c. is much like the HighLanders of Scotland and Ireland,1 reckoning Eleven and Twenty, Twelve and Twenty, &c. so for 53, the HighLanders say Thirteen and Twoscore, as the Darien Indians would, Two Score and Thirteen, only changing the Place. In my Youth I was well acquainted with the HighLand, or Primitive Irish Language; both as it is spoken in the North of Ireland, particularly at the Navan upon the Boyne, and about the Town of Virgini upon Lough Rammer in the Barony of Castle Raghen, in the County of Cavan;2 and also in the HighLands of Scotland, where I have been up and down in several Places. Their way of Reckoning may be a Curiosity to some; for which Reason I have here inserted a Table of it; spelt, not according to the Orthography, but the Pronunciation.

1. Hean.1

2. Dw̃.

3. Tree.

4. Caher.

5. Cooig.

6. Shae.

7. Shaucht.

8. Oacht.

9. Nnye.

10. Deh.

11. Heanegg.

12. Dw̃eegg.

13. Treedeegg.

14. Caherdeeg.

15. Cooigdeegg.

16. Shaedeegg.

17. Shauchtdeegg.

18. Oachtdeegg.

19. Nnyedeegg.

20. Feh. A Score.

21. Hean augus feh. Briefly ausfeh; augus signifies and.

22. Dw̃ augus feh. Two and a Score.

23. Tree augus feh. Three, &c.

30. Deh augus feh. Ten and a Score.

31. Heanegg augus feh.

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