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The Old Whaling Days

June 5th

June 5th.

I have collected words and phrases to the amount of nearly four hundred, tho' I cannot say that I have them all in my memory, I am increasing in a knowledge of the language daily and what with the broken English of the Natives and what I have acquired I can manage to understand and make myself understood on common subjects. The inhabitants of this Island in common with some savages are very superstitious, their faith in the power of their priests is slavish, and all sickness is ascribed to supernatural or perhaps infernal agency. Taipo being the supposed author of the disease whatever it may be. Taipo is a foreign word, its native place and etymology I cannot trace, but as it appears to mean the Devil and is of universal use I shall not disturb it. These people have many gods, an old page 487 Chief gave me to understand the other day that there were plenty tens, and then lifting up his hands and repeating ten ten ten many times over…..