Translation of HM Ball CJ letter

[David Robertson]

Hi,

Here is my first crack at transcribing & translating the letter.
Reactions are solicited.

--Dave R.




Ball to Claudet, CJ letter transcription

[page 1:]

Hyhu Chick-amin Illahee
Feb. 26th 1871

Nisika hyas Closhe tilicum Mrs Claudet

 Nika hyhu sick tumtum mika
halo mamook paper copa nika, yarka
klun moon nika halo kumtux
mika midlight copa mika house,
or mika mameloose, spose nika
halo kumtux ankuttie mika sick,
nika chaco hyhu silex delaite,
pe alta misika mox tenas-man
papoose wawa, wake closhe
Ballie chaco silex copa mika
mama.  Nika tumtum wake
syah cupit cold illahee copa
New West?  pe mika, pe mika
Man clatiwa konamok
mika papoose, copa cavern [?], pe
nanitch yaka tenas Chuck
Brusette, pe mamook muck
-a-muck, pe muck-a muck
Blandy pe-pop-chuck.  –
Nika hyhu sick Tumtum.
Quanishum quinum pride
snow, pe wake syah nika
chaco all-the-same hyas long
Ice, pe tenas leelee konaway
Boston man chaco all the same
masatche kamucks.

[page 2:]

Nisika tilicum Elwyn [?] tike mamook
hyas closhe wawa copa mika
pe mika man, pe
nika wawa all-the-same
copa mika man pe mika
papoose.  Spose mika halo
mamook paper copa nika
delate nika chaco hyhu
silex pe nika marsh mika
pe halo midlight nisika
tilicum.

Alta nika wawa

 Kla-ha-yu tilicum
 Nika midlight

  HM Ball

[page 1:]

Land of Plenty Gold [?; = Lytton, BC?]
 Feb. 26th 1871

Our dear friend Mrs [Francis George] Claudet

 I am sad that you
haven't written to me, it’s
three months that I haven’t heard [if]
you’re alive at your home,
or you’re dead, [and] if I
don’t hear that you’ve been sick,
I’m going to be angry for sure,
but now your two boys
say,
Ballie shouldn’t get mad at you,
Mother.  I think
winter is almost over in
New West[minster]?  and you, and your
husband will go with
your children, to the cavern [?], to
see that
Brusette Creek, and
eat, and drink
brandy-and-sodas.  --
I am very sad.
For five Fridays [?] it’s been
snowing, and I’ve practically
turned into a big
icicle, and pretty soon all
the Whites will turn into
rabid dogs.

[page 2:]

Our friend Elwyn [?] wishes to send
best greetings to you
and your husband, and
I say the same to your husband and your
children.  If you don’t
write to me
I will really become very
mad and I will cast you off
and we won’t be
friends.

Now I’ll say

 Good-bye friend
 I am

 H[enry] M[aynard] Ball