George Grey

“ Bal-lar-oke, one of the principal families into which the natives are divided. The general laws relative to these families are, that no man can marry a woman of the same family name as himself: and that the children should always take the family name of their mother. As the sons inherit the property of their father, it follows that the land is never for two generations in the hands of men of the same family name, and in the event of the head of a family having had several wives of different family names, his land becomes divided between several new families. ”

“ The intensitive jil, the meaning of which is accurately rendered by the English word verily, is, however, equally applicable to substantives, interjections, and all other parts of speech; as "kardo jil," one who is in the direct line to be married to another; "kana jil?" eh, verily?
In forming the principal tenses of the verbs, but few difficulties present themselves. ”

“ Whilst the third dual expresses that two persons, male and female, are either man and wife, or are greatly attached to each other.
In addition to these, they have the first person of several other incomplete dual numbers, and also the first person of a number which expresses three, and which is constantly used. ”

“ Go-tang, to carry in a bag.
All express the action of carrying, and have all a common termination. The same rule holds good with verbs expressing other actions; and I believe that if observations were made upon this point, much light might be thrown upon the origin and construction of this language.
In conclusion, I have to observe, that although this vocabulary stands in my name, I have received very important assistance in its compilation from many individuals; amongst others, from His Excellency the Governor, from Mr. Armstrong the Interpreter, from the Hon. ”