03-01-250

250

　.

　The s live in the Sub-Himalayas, in the Baxa subdivision of Jalpaiguri. They are considered to have immigrated from Bhutan. They are a very wild tribe, and no non-. knows their language. There is said to be only one in existence who knows a little Bengali besides his own language. The materials forwarded for the purposes of this Survey have been put together with his assistance. They comprise an incomplete list of Standard Words and Phrases, and a version of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, to which are appended some numerals and pronouns. The Parable was not accompanied by an interlinear translation, and being much abbreviated is difficult to interpret. I have added a tentative translation of most of it. I do not, however, feel certain that it is correct.

　 During the preliminary operations of this Survey the number of speakers in Jalpaiguri was estimated at 200. The corresponding figures at the last Census of 1901 were as follows:-

　The materials available are far from being sufficient for giving even the most superficial sketch of grammar. I must content myself to make some scattered remarks on such points as seem tolerably certain.

　Nouns, Adjectives, and Numerals.-The genitive is formed by adding the suffix k; thus, dodong-be-k, of a man. The ng preceding the b of this word is probably pronounced as an m, for we also find dudum-bi, man. The latter form shows that o and u, e and i, respectively, are interchangeable.

　Adjectives can end in one of the suffixes n and m; thus, ent-n, good; chisa-m, younger; disu-m, elder. Other certain instances do not occur.

　The numerals most closely correspond to those in use in Lhoke. Higher numbers are, however, counted in twenties; thus, ng ki, five scores, hundred; ni-kwi-t s, two-scores-ten, fifty.

　Pronouns.-The following forms of the personal pronouns occur in the speci- mens:-

k-te, I.	ng, thou.	d, k, he.
k-k, n-k, nt-k, my.	nak, ne-tk, I, thy.	d, his.
ki-piu, me.	mdang, you.	d h-ji nin, they.
deninimi, denimam, n-te, we.	mdang-bi-k, mo-be, your.
nt-k kung, our.
nimus, us.
Interrogative pronouns are h, who? H-rng-g, why?

　Verbs.-The base ni is used to form a verb substantive; thus, dodong-be-k chi ni-s ni-n, man-of sons two-persons were, a man had two sons.

　The present tense can be formed by adding the suffix ro; thus, iung-ro, thou livest.

　Several suffixes are used to form a past tense. The base alone apparently occurs in tui, he ran. A suffix pur is added in hy-pur, he went. The suffix ro is used in chase-ro, he lived. It is perhaps connected with lo in luang-lo, he wasted.