To what extent this may be carried is shown by the language of the Cayubabi,[132] who have for 10 the word _tunca_, and for 100 and 1000 the compounds _tunca tunca_, and _tunca tunca tunca_ respectively; or of the Sapibocones, who call 10 _bururuche_, hand hand, and 100 _buruche buruche_, hand hand hand hand.[133] More remarkable still is the Ojibwa language, which continues its numeral scale without limit, furnishing combinations which are really remarkable; as, _e.g._, that for 1,000,000,000, which is _me das wac me das wac as he me das wac_,[134] 1000 x 1000 x 1000.

The Winnebago expression for the same number,[135] _ho ke he hhuta hhu chen a ho ke he ka ra pa ne za_ is no less formidable, but it has every appearance of being an honest, native combination.

All such primitive terms for larger numbers must, however, be received with caution.

Savages are sometimes eager to display a knowledge they do not possess, and have been known to invent numeral words on the spot for the sake of carrying their scales to as high a limit as possible.

The Choctaw words for million and billion are obvious attempts to incorporate the corresponding English terms into their own language.[136] For million they gave the vocabulary-hunter the phrase _mil yan chuffa_, and for billion, _bil yan chuffa_.