Hymns in the Chinook Jargon Language

Book excerpt: Hymns in the Chinook Jargon Language by Myron Eells is about the hymns Presbyterian missionaries taught the Spokane people to teach them English with more ease. Excerpt: "These hymns have grown out of Christian work among the Indians. They repeat often because they are intended chiefly for Indians who cannot read, and hence must memorize them; but as soon as they learn to read, they sing in English. It will be noticed that often two syllables must be sung to one note, as in the first word in No. 9, nika is sung to the first note of "Happy Land," and in No. 2, in the first line, skookum is sung to one note."