Page:Last of the tasmanians.djvu/291

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258
THE LAST OF THE TASMANIANS.
Emma Little Tenry Matilda Pyterunner
Flora Bangham Maria first Maria
Henrietta Big Mary Nancy Younah
Harriet Watty Patty Goneannah
Helen Twopence Pauline Little Sally
Juliet John Eliza Robinson Charlotte's daughter
Jemima Cranky Poll Rose Gooseberry
Jane Boatswain Sarah Tibb
Louisa Jumbo Sophia Dray
Lucy Mytermoon Sabina Crook
Princess Lalla Rookh Trugenanna Susan Lock Jaw Poll
Margaret Bung Semiramis Jenny

The one-named females were Daphne, Fanny, Jessy, Wild Mary, Maria the Second, Petuck, Tingenoop, Tidderap, Tarehamenneve, Tinedeburric, Maryann, Bessy, Cowlim, Mary Thompson, Wyree, Puepedar, Pillah, Moicrune, and Nomyuncric. Why the latter of the fifty-seven should not be supplied with more manageable, if not queenly, names, may be subject of inquiry. Perhaps the philological conclave became exhausted at this juncture.

The following is a list of some of the names of the men on the island in 1834 They are given as spelt in the original document, as Mr. Robinson would also spell them, though subsequently changes have been made—as a for er. There were Worethetitatilargener and Moullteerlargener, chiefs of the Ben Lomond tribe; Calamaroweyne, the supposed murderer of Captain Thomas; Marenerlarger, Teelapana, Walentirloona, Panacoona, Wowee, Mackamee, Paropa, Nicamenie, Tymethie, Preropa, Pyntharyne, Toinchonc, Peey, Boobyinthie, Toindeburic, Rowlapana, Toby Langta, Lamaima, Conapanny, Packabanny, Wymeric. Three of them were husbands of Wild Mary, and who all died in a fortnight.

Because of the difference of dialects, there naturally grew upon the island a sort of Lingua Franca,—a commingling of tongues, native and English. There was a difficulty in pronouncing our d and s.

The man who entered most into the feelings and sympathies of the Aborigines of Flinders, was the well-known catechist, Mr. Robert Clark—the Father Clark of the Natives.

My first acquaintance with this devoted man was in the beginning of 1842, when he brought to my house several of his juvenile pupils, well clothed, with smiling faces, who read to me, with correct intonation, several verses from the New Testament.