t the terms used must have been
purely descriptive expressions, having their origin undoubtedly in certain
gestures or finger motions. The numerals obtained from this region, and
from the tribes to the south and east of the Carib country, are especially
rich in digital terms, and an analysis of the above numerals would probably
show clearly the mental steps through which this people passed in
constructing the rude scale which served for the expression of their ideas
of number.

KIRIRI.[319]

1. biche.
2. watsani.
3. watsani dikie.
4. sumara oroba.
5. mi biche misa = 1 hand.
6. mirepri bu-biche misa sai.
7. mirepri watsani misa sai.
8. mirepri watsandikie misa sai.
9. mirepri sumara oraba sai.
10. mikriba misa sai = both hands.

CAYUBABA[320]

1. pebi.
2. mbeta.
3. kimisa.
4. pusi.
5. pisika.
6. sukuta.
7. pa-kaluku = 2 again?
8. kimisa-kaluku = 3 again?
9. pusu-kaluku = 4 again?
10. tunka.

SAPIBOCONA[320]

1. karata.
2. mitia.
3. kurapa.
4. tsada.
5. maidara (from _arue_, hand).
6. karata-rirobo = 1 hand with.
7. mitia-rirobo = 2 hand with.
8. kurapa-rirobo = 3 hand with.
9. tsada-rirobo = 4 hand with.
10. bururutse = hand hand.

TICUNA.[321]

1. hueih.
2. tarepueh.
3. tomepueh.
4. aguemoujih
5. hueamepueh.
6. naimehueapueh = 5 + 1.
7. naimehueatareh = 5 + 2.
8. naimehueatameapueh = 5 + 3.
9. gomeapueh = 10 - 1.
10. gomeh.

YANUA.[322]

1. tckini.
2. nanojui.
3. munua.
4. nairojuino = 2d 2.
5. tenaja.
6. teki-natea = 1 again?
7. nanojui-natea = 2 again?
8. munua-natea = 3 again?
9. nairojuino-natea = 4 again?
10. huijejuino = 2 x 5?

The foregoing examples will show with considerable fulness the wide
dispersion of the quinary scale. Every part of the world contributes its
share except Europe, where the only exceptions to the universal use of the
decimal system are the half-dozen languages, which still linger on its
confines, whose number base is the vigesimal. Not only is there no living
European tongue possessing a quinary number system, but no trace of this
method of counting is found in any of the numerals of the earlier forms of
speech, which have now become obsolete. The only possible exceptions of
which I can think are t