"General McDowell and Chief Bonaparte", from "Told by the Pioneers"

[David Robertson]

(volume 1, page 194-195)

("Taken from Morse's Monthly Magazine, Published at Snohomish City,
Washington Territory, 1883")

(time:  "a number of years ago when General McDowell was making a tour of
inspection around the Sound")

"[Bonaparte, also known by his 'Siwash' name Whon-a-per] in unmistakable
tones, said:

"Nannitch niku!  Wake nika cokqua haloima siwash.  Cokqua nika mitlite
tyee ictas.  Nahnitch nika!  Wake nika cokqua haloima siwash.  Nahnitch
nika coat, nika sagolicks, pe nika coneway ictas; hyas closhe.  Nahnitch
nika!  Nika tyee copa nika tilicums, pe cokqua nika mitlite hyas close
ictas.  Mika wawa -- mika hyas tyee; hyas tyee soldier man.  Mika wawa --
delate hyas tyee copa Washington copa la Plesident wawa copa mika, closhe
mika clatawa copa siwash, copa Puget Sound, pe cumtux yaka tumtum copa
conaway icta.  Nika nahnitch mika.  Mika ictas cokqua Mr. Howe; cokqua
coneway Boston man.  Nika  nahnitch tyee soldier man copa Steilacoom.
Nika nahnitch King George's tyee soldiers copa Victoria.  Wake yaka cokqua
conaway Bostons, copa yaka ictas; copa yaka coat, pe segolicks, pe conaway
ictas.  Yaka mitlite hyas closhe ictas, cokqua nika.  Mika ictas, cokkua
conaway cultus Boston.  Spose mika halo tyee.  Cloneas mika lie.  Clahowya
se'am!"

A translation was provided with the above quote, but I wonder if anybody
on the list would like to take a crack at translating Whon-a-per's insult
to the General?  Here's a clue:  "Dress for success."

I have deleted all the hyphens and changed a lot of the punctuation
present in the original so that it would be easier to read and understand.

Dave

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