Native American language.- Nantes (Bernardo de) Katecismo Indico da lingua Kariris, first edition, with blank leaf Z7 but lacking final blank Z8, trimmed close at head, just touching a couple headlines, a3&4 with small stain, some very light browning and occasional spotting, small worm trace within final text f. and blank Z7 (no loss), lacking rear free endpapers, hinges cracked but holding, contemporary limp vellum, manuscript title to spine, toned, some light soiling, housed in cloth slip-case, [Sabin 5174 "very rare"], small 8vo, Lisbon, V. da Costa, 1709.*** A valuable witness to the now-extinct Karirí-Dzubucuá language of Brazil. Today, the roughly 4,000 ethnic Karirís are largely monolingual Portuguese speakers. The Catechism is printed with text in Portuguese and Karirí in parallel columns. Also included are two poems or “Spiritual Canticles" with text in Karirí and Portugese, as well as a longer explanation of the Catechism in Karirí.Provenance: Dom Pedro de Sousa Holstein, Duque de Palmela (1781-1850), first Prime Minister of Portugal (ink-stamp to title); Coll. Ang[?] (indistinct ownership inscription to title); C. R. Boxer (b. 1904), noted historian of Portuguese colonial history (ink ownership inscription to front free endpaper).