Science: Gadzooks

Home from collecting in South and Central America for the Museum of the American Indian, A. Hyatt Verrill of Manhattan related of Indians living inland from Oldbank, Panama, that they employ the Elizabethan expressions “Gadzooks,” “forsooth,” “marry,” “yea,” “nay,” “thee,” “ye.” Explanation: in 1680, Buccaneer Batholomew Sharp sailed to Panama with 350 lusties in The Most Blessed Trinity. They looted, killed, burned out the Spaniards, founded Oldbank, where today live many a Sharp, many a Coxon, Hawkins, Ringrose (names of Sharp’s lieutenants).

In the interior of Dutch Guiana, Mr. Verrill visited Djoeka, a nation founded by escaped Ethiopian slaves at least three centuries ago. Starting from nothing they have developed their own language (called talkee-talkee, a mixture of Dutch, Spanish, French, Portuguese. English and Indian), their own culture and political and social systems.

They are ruled by a king, who in his wisdom maintains a severe seclusion and the taboo that for a subject to see him more than once per annum is highly dangerous to the subject’s welfare.