Opia, the spirit of the dead (Pane, pp. 443, 444). Ar. _aparrün_ to
kill, _apparahun_ dead, _lupparrükittoa_ he is dead.
Quisquéia, a native name of Haiti; "vastitas et universus ac totus. Uti
Græci suum Panem," says Pet. Martyr (Decad. p. 279). "Madre de las
tierras," Valverde translates it (_Idea del valor de la Isla Espanola_,
Introd. p. xviii). The orthography is evidently very false.
Sabana, a plain covered with grass without trees (terrano llano, Oviedo,
Hist. Gen. lib. vi. cap. 8). From this the Sp. _savana_, Eng.
_savannah_. Charlevoix, on the authority of Mariana, says it is an
ancient Gothic word (Histoire de l'Isle St. Domingue, i. p. 53). But it
is probably from the Ar. _sallaban_, smooth, level.
Semi, the divinities worshipped by the natives ("Lo mismo que nosotros
llamamos Diablo," Oviedo, Hist. Gen. lib. v. cap. 1. Not evil spirits
only, but all spirits). Ar. _semeti_ sorcerers, diviners, priests.
Siba, a stone. Ar. _siba_, a stone.
Starei, shining, glowing (relucens, Pet. Martyr, Decad. p. 304). Ar.
_terén_ to be hot, glowing, _terehü_ heat.
Tabaco, the pipe used in smoking the cohoba. This word has been applied
in all European languages to the plant nicotiana tabacum itself.
Taita, father (Richardo). Ar. _itta_ father, _daitta_ or _datti_ my
father.
Taguáguas, ornaments for the ears hammered from native gold (Las Casas,
Hist. Apol. cap. 199).
Tuob, gold, probably akin to _hobin_, q. v.
Turey, heaven. Idols were called "cosas de _turey_" (Navarrete, Viages,
Tom. i. p. 221). Probably akin to _starei_, q. v.
The following numerals are given by Las Casas (Hist. Apol. cap. 204).
1 hequeti. Ar. _hürketai_, that is one, from _hürkün_ to be single or
alone.