Bengallire Zanan
Poroho
Doxto Bengali, Xono: Puthi xocoler utom puthi, Xaxtro xocoler utom xaxtro; Xaxtri xocoler utom xaxtri Christor Xaxtri, Crepar xaxtro ebong crepar xaxtrer puthi.
Ehi puthite xon mondia paiba buzhon, buzhan, buzhibar, buzhaibar upae tribar. Axtar bedher ortho xono, xonao; porthoquie zania, buzho, buzhao porinamer ponth dhoro, dhorao; xixio Gurur niate niae corite xiqho, xiqhao; eha zania, buzhia, mania mucti hoibeq; dox agguia palon coro zodi.
The Bibliotheca Publica of Evora possesses an incomplete manuscript of this work. The opening lines differ slightly form the opening lines of the published book and the last page concludes thus:
P. xorir zia utthon quemon buzho?
Z. Buzhi, ze xocol manux, bala ar bura zia uthibo moha proloyer din xorir, ar atua xomet bichar hoite.
Of the grammar Evora possesses only a printed copy but on p. 141 of the above mentioned manuscript (CX VI1—1) we come across a fragment of a Dictionary which may be reasonably ascribed to Frei Manoel. Here he starts with an effort to supply the colloquial and polished Bengali as well as Hindusthani synonyms of Portuguese words. But after a few pages he gives up the attempt probably because the task was beyond his capacity. The Dictionary consists of 22 pages only, many of which are blank, and ends with the phrase “depois de amanha-calicarpor.” The third manuscript is luckily complete except for a few lacunae evidently caused by the depredations of worms. It was first noticed by Cunha Rivara in his descriptive catalogue of the manuscripts at Evora. We learn from the title page that the author was “that great Christian
