Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee

Chapter XXXII: Appendix: No. VI

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I will now submit the numerals of 31 nations, which, with the exception of three, the Fantee, the Accra, and the Bornoo, (and those but imperfectly,) have never been reported before. I will arrange them according to their geographical approximation, remarking any apparent affinity which occurs to me, in notes. I shall place the Inta first, because it is the most remote, inland, which can be assimilated to the Fantee, Ahanta, Aöwin, and Amanaheä; and may, probably, from that circumstance, be the root of these languages; as it has been shewn, in the history, that the nations of the water side have been gradually pressed down, or have emigrated from the interior, and it is consequently to be expected that the etymology of the names of these countries are not to be found in the languages of the people who _now_ inhabit them, but more probably in the languages of their southern neighbours. Thus,

_Inta_ is likely to be derived from the _Booroom_ word _inta_, _water_, as it has been noticed as an alluvial country.

_Yngwa_, a northern province of Dagwumba, from the Ashantee _anggwa_, _fat, rich_, or the Booroom, _yngia_, _a wood_.

_Soko_ from _Soko_, _one_, in the Badaggry (below Dahomy) as _Yahndi_ the capital of Dagwumba was so called from _yahndo_ the numeral _one_, to indicate its pre-eminence.

_Assin_ from the Ashantee _Assoon_, an elephant. But this expectation is not further supported in the two or three other probable etymologies which occur to me, as _Takima_ from the Ashantee _takramma_, tongue. _Akim_ (formerly the greatest trading country,) from the Booroom _Akimmie_, cloth; _Booroom_ from _boora_, full, in that language.

It is curious how nearly the _word_ for _God_ in the Malemba, _M’Poungoo_, approaches the native name, _Empoongwa_, of the country Europeans call _Gaboon_. _Wonga_ is fear in the Malemba, and _Woonga- woonga_ is the name of an uninhabited savannah of three days extent, between Empoöngwa and Adjoomba.

1. _Inta._ 2. 3. 4. _Aöwin._ 5.
_Booroom._ _Ashantee._ _Amanaheä._

One Koko Ekoo Akoon Aconë Aconë
(_a_)

Two Anyoe Enoo Anoo Enyow Enyow
(_b._)

Three Assa Essa Mensa Inza Insa
(_c_)

Four Anna Enna Ennung Inna Enna
(_d_)

Five Annoo Annoo Ennoom Noo Enoo
(_e_)

Six Assee Esseä Inseëä Inzeah Inseah
(_f_)

Seven Assoonno Assoono Inshong Inzoo Insoon
(_g_)

Eight Adoobrooa Aquiay Woquee Motteä Mottuay
(_h_)

Nine Digrakoono Akonno Oonkonnong Ongoona Ongona

Ten Koodoo Edoo Edoo Boloo Booloo
(_i_)

6. _Ahanta_ 7. _Fantee_ 8. 9. 10.
_Affootoo_ _Inkran_ _Adampë_
[159]

One Akoon Akoor Achoomee Ekkoo Kakee

Two Ayue Abeeën Ennuë Ennuë

Three Assan Abiasseh Assah Ettayh

Four Arra Anan Annah Edjuë

Five Aoonoo Ennoom Ennoo Ennoomó

Six Ayshing Asseeä Isshin Eghpah

Seven Assooa Ashong Isshennooh Paghwooh

Eight Awotchay Awotwee Ettchee Paghnue

Nine Awonna Akoon Assan Nahoon

Ten Boonoo Edoo Eddoo Nongmah

11. 12. 13. _Yngwa_ 14. _Hio_ 15. _Mosee_
_Kerrapay_ _Dagwumba_

One Eddee Yahndo Lakoo Innee Yimbo

Two Effee Ayee Ayee Eygee Ayeeboo

Three Eltong Attah Attah Etta Ataboo

Four Ennay Nasee Anāhee Ernee Annasee

Five Altong Ennoon Leerennoo Aroon Annoo

Six Adday Yohbee Ayoboo Effa Ayobee

Seven Adrinnee Poice Ayapaï Eggay Owhi

Eight Ennee Nehenoo Annee Eggo Ennee

Nine Indee Wyhee Awai Essun Aïhopoi

Ten Owoo Edoo Peä Eywaw Peega

16. 17. _Gaman_ 18. _Kong_ 19. _Fobee_ 20.
_Kumsallahoo_ _Callana_

One Yumbo Tah Kiddee Koroom Kodoom

Two Yeebo Noo Filla Nalay Naboolla

Three Tabo Sah Sowa Poompevarra Nawedazoo

Four Nasee Nah Nanoo Leetaynalee Nabonaza

Five Annoo Taw Looroa Kakwassee Nabonoa

Six Yobo Torata Wora Mannassa Lodoo

Seven Poihee Toorifeenoo Ooranfilla Noottoosoo Logwa

Eight Nehee Toorifeessa Leeaygee Borafay Littaïzoo

Nine Wahee Toorifeena Konunto Pirrifay Nako

Ten Pega Noonoo Tah Nanooa Yewoo

21. 22. 23. 24. 25.
_Bambarra_ _Garangi_ _Mallowa_ _Kallaghee_ _Bornoo_

One Killi Kerriminna Daia Gadee Leskar

Two Foolla Ferriminna Beeyoo Silill Ahndee

Three Sabba Sowaninna Okoo Quan Yaskar

Four Nani Firrima Odoo Foolloo Deegah

Five Looroo Fahtima Beä Vydee Ooögoo

Six Wora Tata Seddah Zoodoo Araskoo

Seven Worroola Mannima Becquay Etkassa Tooloor

Eight Sagi Pirima Tacquass Shiddowka Woskoo

Nine Konunto Missirima Tarra Woollaä Likkar

Ten Ta Gwahee Gwoma Woma Meeägoo

26. _Maïha_ _Quolla- _Badaggry_ 27. 28.
liffa_ by Mr. _Sheekan_ _Kaylee_
by Mr. Hutchison.
Hutchison.

One Lagen Da Soko Ilwawtoe Woto

Two Indë Bue Auwee Ibba Ibba

Three Eäska Okoo Atong Bittach Battach

Four Daäger Hodoo Inna Binnay Binnay

Five Ohoo Bakwee Ato Bitta Bittan

Six Araska Shida Trukoo

Seven Tooloor Bockwa Chauto

Eight Weska Sidda Quouie

Nine Lekar Tarra Kennee

Ten Inagoon Goman Owoo Duëoom Duëoom

Twenty Emboomebba

Hundred Kama

29. 30. 31.
_Oongoomo_ _Oongobaï_ _Empoöngwa._
See p.
439 for
character.

One Wootta Rappeek Hemoödee

Two Beeba Ramboise Mban

Three Bittach Mittasee Ntcharoo

Four Binnay Binnay Nahee

Five Bitten Bittan Nehanee

Six Sambal Oroöba

Seven Bittooba Ragginnoömoo

Eight Bissamen Ennanahee

Nine Bwoi Eno go öm

Ten Deëoom Hegoöm

(_a_) The words for the numeral one assimilate in the specimens 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9: again, but distinctly, in 14, 12, 15, 16: also in 26, 25, 13: in 21, 18, 20, 19: in 27, 28, 29, (making apparently five roots), but they remain solitary in 11, 17, 22, 23, 24 30 and 31. The numeral one in 14 is not unlike the two in 8, 9, 2, 3, and the one in 12, would, with the prefix of y, be precisely the same as the two of 25. Excepting _Kakee_, _one_, the Inkran numerals seem to have been adopted as those of Adampë, for the convenience of trade and intercourse, but I will add a few words, to show that the languages are radically different:

_Adampë._ _Inkran._

House Aoosoo Wheay.

Fire [160]Odja Lla.

Man Ossa Noon.

Woman Ossĕ Yeo.

Victuals Odë Neeaynee.

Father Attay Tchay.

Mother Awoo Nneay.

(_b_) The numeral _two_ is the most general word, and may be assimilated in 2, 3, 8, 9, 4, 5, 1, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. There is little difference between the numerals _two_ and _five_ in most of these, and _five_ in 15 and 16, precisely answers to _two_ in 1 and 2.

(_c_) _Three_ may be assimilated in 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. In 12, 13, 14, 16, it approaches to the Congo and Mozambique _tatoo_ and _atatoo_.

(_d_) I have observed that in most African languages there is less distinction in the words for four and five, than between any other of the numerals and that frequently the word for _five_ in one language, is identical with that for _four_ in another, geographically remote. _Four_ may be assimilated in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 6, 14, for the two latter deviate only in the substitution of one liquid for another, which is as common in the languages of Africa as in those of America. The words for four in the above suite do not seem of a different root from those in 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 21, from which it only varies in 20 by the prefix of _nabo_. With the difference of a single letter, the same word for _four_ is found in the Yngwa (13) and the Empoöngwa (31) which are 1000 miles distant. Four in Congo is _m’na_, in Empoöngwa, _nahee_. _Sanu_, the Kaffer _four_, is approached in 18.

(_e_) Five may be assimilated from 1 to 17, (11 excepted) one liquid being substituted for another in 14, an _leer_ being prefixed in 13. It is remarkable too that we again identify this numeral in the Malemba, Embomma, and Empoöngwa languages, by removing the prefixes _t_, _to_, and _neh_, from the words _tanoo_, _toanoo_, and _nehanee_. Below five, the numerals in the Inkran lose all identity with those of the languages with which it has been hitherto assimilated.

(_f_) _Six_ assimilates from 1 to 9, in 12 to 17 (14 excepted) in 20, 23, 24, in 17 and 22; but remains distinct in all the others. The Sanbal of Oöngobai (30) approaches the Sambanoo of the Embomma.

(_g_) _Seven_ assimilates in 1 to 9; in 12, 13, 16, but in no others.

(_h_) _Eight_ assimilates in 2, 3, 6, 7; in 11 to 17, (14 excepted) all of which, with 31, approximate to E’nana, the word for eight in the Malemba.

(_i_) _Ten_ assimilates in 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12, in 4, 5, 6, in 17, 19, 25, 26, 29, in 13, 15, and in 14, 20, 22, 23, 24.

* * * * *

The following is the skeleton of a _Vocabulary_, of which the enlarged or perfect copy was blown out of the cabin-window, in a sudden squall, (with some specimens of music), during my voyage home.

* * * * *
London: Printed by W. Bulmer and Co.
Cleveland-row, St. James’s.

[Footnote 159: _Inkran_, an _ant_, is the native name of the country Europeans call _Accra_, which name was probably given by the Portuguese to their settlement there (the earliest they made according to the traditions of the natives) to commemorate the voyage of Hanno; Accra being one of the five cities raised by him between the Soloe Promontory, or Cape Bojador, and the River Lixus or Ouro.]

[Footnote 160: This word approximates to _ogha_, _ogiah_, and _egah_, the words for _fire_ in the Booroom, Ashantee, and Fantee: but all the other Adampë words I have ever heard, cannot be assimilated to those which denote the same objects in any other African language.]

[Footnote 161: Where there is no word in the Fantee column, it is the same as the Ashantee.]

[Footnote 162: I have before stated (Superstitions, p. 270.) that _aggry_ is a generic name, probably exotic, of the derivation of which the Negroes are wholly ignorant. It is remarkable that the Boorooms call these beads _sikka koonkoorie_, and never use the common word for _bead_ (aboroo,) when they speak of them: this name imports their value (_sikka_ being _gold_) and one would fancy something connected with their locality, _Koonkoorie_ being a range of hills seven days northward of Kong, (see p. 182.) but I never could obtain the least explanation on this subject from the natives.]

[Footnote 163: They distinguish different times of the day, thus

Morning, or before 12. napa.

Mid-day, or 12. aweeabillee aweeabil emfass.

Afternoon, 4. ingubee noobwawss.

Evening, 6. adiasa adjasa eybeen.

Night noofa aniaberra.
]

[Footnote 164: This reminds me that I ought to have noticed, in the Superstitions of Ashantee, that they believe the devil to be a wandering evil spirit, occasionally entering into a human being, immediately to be destroyed for the safety of mankind.]

[Footnote 165: It is curious that in both these radically distinct languages, the verb _walk_ should assimilate so closely to the noun _cow_.]

Transcriber's note:

The changes in the ERRATA regarding the text have been made.

Inconsistent chapter numbering between Contents and Part I of the text
has been left as is.

pg 19, Changed: "place 1° 46′ 30′ W. and" to: "30″"

pg 22, Changed: "The courses N. ½ N. N. W. ¼ N. b W. ⅛." to: "N.½,
N.N.W.¼, N.bW.⅛."

pg 23, Changed: "the courses N. ⅓ N. b W. ⅕." to: "N.⅓, N.bW.⅕."

pg 36, Changed: "their long Danish mukets" to: "muskets"

pg 40, Changed: "minors, or young caboceeers" to: "caboceers"

pg 45, Changed: "and again,) “that he thanked" to: "and again,) that
he thanked"

pg 49, Changed: "my captains. “The Dutch" to: "my captains. The Dutch"

pg 63, Changed: "an ouline of the Fantee war" to: "outline"

pg 94, Changed: "inauspicious circumstance has been unvoidable" to:
"unavoidable"

pg 98, Added ” after: "he will do you good:"

pg 108, Changed: "I sent a cane to Adooçee" to: "Adocee"

pg 110, Changed: "promised that I shoul hear from him" to: "should"

pg 132, Changed: "into every trivial occurrrence" to: "occurrence"

pg 145, Changed: "have more to-morrow ”" to: "have more to-morrow;”"

pg 151, Changed: "I had exeprienced whilst" to: "experienced"

pg 196, footnote 37, Added “ before "The Chaymas"

pg 204, footnote 47, Changed: "of Arabs) “Wadie." to: "of Arabs)
Wadie."

pg 253, Changed: "exercising his judical authority" to: "judicial"

pg 256, Changed: "accused against arbitary judgment" to: "arbitrary"

pg 268 (270), footnote 83, Changed: "inlaid, at it were, in the body"
to: "as it were"

pg 268 (271), footnote 83, Added ” after "ignorant of their origin."

pg 279, Changed: "the tribatary chiefs who pay but" to: "tributary"

pg 288, Changed: "discharge of muketry, proportionate" to: "musketry"

pg 322, Changed: "with 1000 mukets you could not" to: "muskets"

pg 333, Changed: "as a corrective to the unplatable" to: "unpalatable"

pg 345 (346), footnote 112, Changed: "we are asily mistaken" to:
"easily"

pg 348, footnote 113, Added “ at the start.

pg 352, Changed: "corsespond exactly in meaning" to: "correspond"

pg 419, Changed: "wow!” “death! “death" to: "wow!” “death! death"

pg 433, footnote 132, Changed: "spoke to agreeing tha after" to:
"that"

pg 451, Changed: "and phrenzy of the perfomer" to: "performer"

pg 469, Changed: "clompletely blockaded on the land-side" to:
"completely"

pg 473, Changed: "bring future good conse-sequences" to:
"consequences"

pg 479, footnote 149, Changed: "or ship, “adding, that" to: "or ship,
adding, that"

pg 479-480, The footnote 152 referred to in the text is missing.

pg 484, footnote 157, Changed: "had the advanage of correcting" to:
"advantage"

pg 487, Changed: "Shagho — شَيْعُ" to: "شَيْغُ"

pg 487, Changed: "Rakka — رَافَا" to: "رَاقَا"

pg 491, Changed: "Yajoury (doubtlels Yawoorie)" to: "doubtless"

pg 492, Changed: "Massir — سصر" to: "مصر"

Minor changes in punctuation have been done silently.

Other spelling inconsistencies have been left unchanged.

Comments

Mission from Cape Coast Castle to AshanteeChapter XXXII: Appendix: No. VI

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