Translation of HM Ball CJ letter

[Bernard Schulmann]

Some more details that make this interesting.

http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/visual/fgclaudet/claudet.htm

When did she learn the language? Why was he writing her in CJ when both
were part of the English ruling elite?

Bernard

David Robertson wrote:

>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
>
>
>