Of the thirteen distinct generic families or groupes of Indians, reported to exist along the Oregon and California shores of the Pacific, by the ethnographer of Captain Wilkes’ Expedition, but a single specimen of translation has been received. It was, it appears, the Sa-aptins, and not the Flatheads of the Salish groupe, who applied for teachers, by performing a long journey to St. Louis. And the small elementary work, below noticed, is to be regarded as the first fruits of the mission established among them.

SECTION I.—NEZ PERCES: SA-APTIN.

139.—Nez Perce’s First Book. Designed for children and new beginners. Clear Water Mission Press. 20 pages, 18mo. A. D. 1839.

The first spelling lesson consists of 44 monosyllables; the second, 124 dyssyllables; the third, of 56 dyssyllables; the fifth, of 60 dyssyllables, and the sixth, of 18 dyssyllables. The sounds of tl, lh and hl, appear to be the only ones which are not known to the tribes east of the mountains, but have their analogies in the Aztec family.

Mr. Hale, the ethnographer attached to Captain Wilkes’ Expedition, observes of this tribe, that it is supposed to number 2,000 souls. The Sa-aptins possess the country on the Lewis or Snake river, from the Petoos to Wapticaciaes, about 400 miles. They resemble the Missouri Indians; have horses, are good hunters, and make long excursions to the Rocky Mountains. They had, formerly, wars with the Shoshonees, Crows, and Blackfeet. They sent a deputation for missionaries, across the Rocky Mountains. The disposition of this tribe has been much eulogized by travellers. They are considered superior in intellect to the other Oregon tribes.