The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-04-24

anders, who now numbering nearly 1000 have
lmmigrated to these shores during the last two
years under the auspices Of the Hawaiian Gov
erDment, are from the Gilbert Group. These
Islands lie On the Equator and are distant from
The Hawaiian Islands about 1000 miles. They
are all low coral islands, seventeen in number.
Findlay says 1.-The name GILBERT Archipelago,
was given to the group by Admiral Krusenstern,
after the Commander Of the Charlotte, one Of the
hrst explorers the other commanders name,
tSlarshall.) being given to the group to the
~northward. These Captains of the English
Navy, when they fell in with these groups, were
making their voyage in 1888 in the Charlotte and
Scarborough from Port jackson TO China. IL is
said that this " voyage originated in the fret
colonization Of Australia" Twenty years ago
their population was not far from 30 1000. The
present number is estimated By Rev. E. L.
DOane (who recently passed through tue group
at about 10000. Large numbers have been re-
moved TO FIJI, Samoa, and Tahiti, TO labor on
plantations; and mnltitudes have been killed in
drunken quarrels and in war.
In the year 1857, American and Hawaiian
missionaries first went among them to attempt
their Contamination In later years they have
been aided by Samoan teachers under the patron
age Of the London Missionary Society, the five
SouthernmOst islands Of the group, Arorae, Ia
mana, On0tOa, Peru and Nikunau, being under
their instruction.
All the islands with the exception Of three,
Ananuka, Kuria and Banaba, have been more or
iess the residence Of Missionaries.
The translation Of the New Testament into
their language was completed in 1873. Bible
stories. u small Hymn book, an elementary
Arithmetic, and Geography, and a Reading-boOk
have been published in their language. Add
tional literature is being prepared. Many
have learned to read, and not a few can write.
Great success has attended the IabOrs OF the Sa-
moan teachers, and many have been hopefully
converted TO Christ. The Hawaiian missionaries
on Tapiteuea are now reaping large harvests.
Or the 5th Of last October Rev. W. u. Kspu re-
eelved into the Church I68 members on profes-
SION Of their faith in Christ. His congregations
sometimes number a thousand. His scholars
number $50. Late news has reached US that all
the books left by the Morning Star for Mr. Kapu
in July bad been sold by him., and he orders,
among other books, $50 more Testaments and
$50 LYNN books, 100 Arithmetics and 100
states.
The 2nd edition Of the New Testament is so
nearly exhausted, that the orders for this work
cannot now be filed.
Recent adyices from the American Bible So
ciety state that a third edition OF 5000 copies is
to be printed without delay. 1000 Of these are
to al an order from the Samoan District Commit
tee OF the London Missionary Society for their
portion of the field.
While Christianity is thus gaining a foothold
Iii - - rarr,sr -, haa-
theuism, and the majority of those who have
immigrated here are in darkness. Some eighty
Of those recently arrived by the Hacdii are from
Banaba Ocean Island) where, as has been said,
there have been no missionaries. These people
are in extreme ignorance, and the writer greatly
pities them. He trusts that those who employ
them will feel a special interest to acquaint them
with the way Of fife. Many of them will doubt
less die here during the next three years., and
long before they could learn the truth through
English or Hawaiian. Some have already died.
In order to aid any who may be disposed to teach
them, it is proposed to give Especially if any
should desire it) a number Of sentences IN English
with their equivalent in Gilbert, which may be
read to these natives by those who are familiar
with the sound Of the Hawaiian vowels.
There will also first be given some common
o~oIloquial phrases. which may be of service in
she daily intercourse necessary or convenient
between employers and employees.
RULES FOR PROSUSCIATION.
Pronounce vowels as in Hawaiian. The accent
very rarely falls on the last syllable of a word.
Many words have no strongly marked accent.
In words OF four or more syllables there are
often two accents. In such cases the accent rare
ly falls ON the penult.
In order to assist the learner the accent and
pronunciation in certain cases will be indicated
BY vowels with the usual long accent thus a IN
the wsrd karaki, come along, indicates that the
accent Is on the first syllable, and that the a has
the prolonged sound asa in father. y or " used
20 indicate the sound OF ne. This sound at the
6eqinHinq Of a word as in Mai, is usually uttered
with difficulty at first by Anglo Saxons. -tis
suggested as a possible aid that the learner at
tempt to divide the English word bingham thus,
Hi ngham. When successful, drop the Hi and
continue to repeat the last syllable ngham-ngam
until easily said then say, Mai 1.-THE Gilbert
Island word for the English pronoun ~ Nara
English we), Nkoe, thou Miami, ye Nike,
when (past time), Nkana, if or when future
time).
/ when followed by or u sOmewhat resembles
eh in cheer, and choose, or { IN Christian, or
in jeer or jew
The sound is a difficult one but 4 word will be
recognized If the pure sound of t is given No
adult Gilbert Islanders can however readily pro-
nouuce the English letter t or English word tea
on first trial. An e (e as in obey) will be more
or lees distinctly inserted between the t and i,
thus, tel (tay ee).
T when followed by a, e Or 0 has its usual
power
b often sounds much like p. Only one char
acter is used IN their books. Ask any adult Gil
bert Islanders to say q big pig - and notice the
result.
K often sounds like z hard. Natives do no:
readily distinguish the difference between k
and g.