second chapter of the 2 Kings,

1

bald head," to which Dr. Trumbull has called attention. He says: "In the Indian, the last word literally is 'ball-head' ('pompasuhkonkanontup'). Either the interpreter mistook the word as pronounced by Eliot, or he thought it well to aggravate the insult by likening Elisha's smooth head to a foot-ball; for 'pompasuhkonk' denotes a ball to play with."

Considering the difficulties that had to be encountered in printing the first Bible in America, it is a matter of surprise that the errors were not more numerous. Presses, type, ink, and paper had to be imported, coming long distances, and by slow means of conveyance. Workmen were few, and the sources of instruction limited. The Algonkin was a harsh language, and it had no equivalents for. certain English words. Salt was unknown to the Indians, and hence the word had to be inserted without translation. The same was true of "Amen" and some other terms. The words of the language were so extremely long that 1 Memorial History of Boston, p. 473.

Cotton Mather thought they must have been stretching themselves out from the time of the confusion of tongues at Babel. Rev. Dr. Ellis playfully says:1 "To us it seems as if an Indian root-word started little and compact, like one of their own pappooses, and then grew at either extremity, thickened in the middle, extended in shape and proportion in each limb, member, and feature, and was completed with a feathered head-knot." Some impression of the appearance of the language may be had by the following version of the Lord's Prayer:

Nooshun kesukqut, quttianatamunach koowesuonk. Peyaumooutch kukketassootamoonk, kuttenantamoonk ne n nach ohkeit neane kesukqut. Nummeetsuongash asekesu.kokish assamainnean yeuyeu kesukok. Kah ahquoantamaiinnean nummatcheseongash, neane matchenehukqweagig nutahquontamounnonog. Ahque sagkompagunaiinnean en qutchhuaouganit, webe pohquohwussinnean wutch matchitut. Newutche kutahtaunn ketassootamoonk, kah menuhkesuonk, kah sohsumoonk micheme. Amen.

The completion of the Bible of 1663 brought great joy to the heart of Mr. Eliot, not only because it was a great event in the art of print

1 Memorial History of Boston, vol. i. p. 270.

ing, but chiefly for the reason that it facilitated his work among the Indians. Cotton Mather could hardly contain himself in his enthusiasm of thanksgiving. In his "Magnalia" he thus writes: "Behold, ye Americans, the greatest honor that ever you were partakers of. The Bible was printed here at our Cambridge, and is the only Bible that ever was printed in all America, from the very foundation of the world. The whole translation he writ with but one pen; which pen, if it had not been lost, would have certainly deserved a richer case than was bestowed upon that pen with which Holland writ his translation of Plutarch." Francis, in his "Life of John Eliot," doubts the statement about the translation being written with but one pen, and says Mather's "story seems more precise than credible.” 1

In 1680 a second edition of the New Testament appeared. The upper part of the titlepage is in Indian, while the lower contains the words, "Cambridge, Printed for the Right Hon

1 Francis. Life of Eliot, p. 227.

ourable Corporation in London for the propagation of the Gospel among the Indians in New England. 1680." No mention is made of the printer or printers.

Mr. Eliot was desirous of seeing a new im-' pression of the whole Bible, as many copies of the edition of 1663 had been lost or destroyed during the score of years since it was printed. The Indian war of 1675-76 had contributed also to this result. Mr. Eliot began the new version in 1677, and desired the work to be accelerated, for he said, "My age makes me importunate.' That great spiritual good had been accomplished is evident, for in the earliest years of his work Eliot wrote of the Indians: "It hath pleased God to stir up the hearts of many of them this winter to learn to read and write, wherein they do much profit with a very little help, especially some of them, for they are very ingenious." In 1680 Mr. Eliot wrote: "I shall depart joyfully, may I but have the Bible among them, for it is the word of life." This desire for a fresh supply of Bibles was not alone Eliot's wish, for he

says under date of November 4, 1680: "Our praying Indians both in the islands and on the main, are considered together, numerous; thousands of souls, of whom some true believers, some learners, and some still infants, and all of them, beg, cry, entreat for Bibles, having already enjoyed that blessing, but now are in great want." The press-work on the Old Testament began in 1682, but the progress was slow, for Mr. Eliot writes: "We have but few hands, one Englishman, a boy, and one Indian."

The Indian referred to was a man known as James Printer, who had worked on the first edition. He seems to have been well fitted for his task, for Eliot in 1682 writes of him: "We have but one man, the Indian printer, that is able to compose the sheets and correct the press with understanding." Mr. Eliot also records his indebtedness to Rev. John Cotton of Plymouth," who helped me much in the second edition of the Bible."

In the autumn of 1685 the second and last version of the Indian Bible appeared. Extant