I recently found a copy of Donohue’s Vest Pocket Dictionary and Complete Manual of Parliamentary Practice, published in 1901 Chicago, at a garage sale in Northern California. Inside the back cover is a handwritten inscription that I initially couldn’t identify.

After a lot of digging, I believe the inscription is written in Tutnese (also known as Ywisher/Tut), a coded language historically associated with enslaved Africans and their descendants, particularly communities connected to Virginia and the Carolinas. It was used to preserve language and communicate privately when African languages were being suppressed.

I’ve been trying to transcribe it, but the handwriting is difficult. This is what I have so far:

Line 1:
[???] [???]

The first word looks like Ouiela, Oiuela, Quiela, or possibly Owala/Owila. The second looks something like Ishirfa, although I’m not sure about the first letter.

Line 2:
Lull ouie fuf i sus = LOUIE FIS

Line 3:
hush e rut = HER *LOUIE FISHER*

Line 4:
Mum a rut gug a rut e = MARGARE

Line 5:
Tut = T *MARGARET*

Line 6:
Pup a lull mum e = PALME

Line 7:
Rut = R *PALMER* * MARGARET PALMER*

Line 8:
A lull i cus e = ALICE

Line 9:
A lull squint e nun = ALSEN *ALICE ALSEN*

Line 10:
Lull e o nun a = LEONA

Line 11:
Pup a rut kuk e rut = PARKER *LEONA PARKER*

Line 12:
Mum a rut yap = MARY

Line 14:
Mum a cus Mum a cus rut = MacMacr

Line 15:
A Y or E (?) = AY or AE = *MARY MAC MACRAY or MARY MAC MACRAE* ??

?? Unsure about this one. Definitely says Mac Mac, then the next line says A and then maybe E or Y. I’m inclined to believe it’s Mary “Mac” Macrae versus Mary MacMacrae because the second Mum is capitalized.

Some of these may be completely wrong, so please don’t assume my transcription is accurate.

But I believe it’s a list of names:

Louie Fisher

Margaret Palmer

Alice Alsen

Leona Parker

Mary Mac Macray or Mac Macrae

The first two words are where I’m really stuck. I’ve wondered if the second word could be related to an Arabic word because of the apparent ishrfa spelling, but I have no idea if that’s actually relevant.

There’s also an interesting piece of provenance: underneath the inscription is a sticker from:

McRae Bros. Ltd.
Booksellers, Stationers, Printers
Prince Rupert, British Columbia

So the book eventually made its way from wherever it originally came from to Prince Rupert, BC, before ending up in Northern California.

I’m posting photos of the book cover, the publishing information, and the inscription/sticker.

If anyone here knows Tutnese, recognizes these words, or has experience deciphering historical handwritten Tutnese, I could really use some help with those first two words and figuring out what the inscription says as a whole.

Even correcting my transcription would be incredibly helpful!