_Airicos_, on head-waters of the Manacacia, the Ele and Guainia.
_Amaguages_, near Rio Caqueta.
_Anibalis_, on Rio Apure.
_Betois_, on and near Rio Casanare, about north latitude 5°.
_Correguages_, on Rio Yari and head-waters of Caqueta.
_Jamas_, on Rio Manacacia.
_Macaguages_, on Rios Caucaya, Mecaya and Sensella.
_Piojes_, on Rio Putumayo, and on the Napo and Caucaya (Cocayu).
_Quilifayes_, on Rio Apure.
_Situfas_, on Rio Casanare.
_Tamas_, on the Rio Yari and Rio Caguo.
_Tunebos_, in the Cordillera, adjacent to the Betois.
Of these, the Piojes and Correguages, of which we have vocabularies, do
not show close resemblance to the Betoya, yet undoubtedly some;[420] so
I place them in this stock partly in deference to old authorities.
The Piojes derive their name from the particle of negation in their
language, this being their usual reply to all inquiries by traders or
travelers. They are divided into two bands, speaking the same dialect,
one on the Napo and one on the Putumayo, neither knowing anything of the
other. Some of their customs are peculiar. For instance, it is their rule
that a widow shall take her son, a widower his daughter, to replace the
deceased consort.[421] They are somewhat agricultural, and are skillful
boatmen.
The Tamas formerly lived on the river Aguarico (Coleti). Dr. Crévaux
found them on the Caguo, a branch of the Yapura, and obtained from them a
short vocabulary, but enough to mark them as members of the stock.[422]
There are also some on the Rio Meta who speak Spanish only. (Perez.)
The Betoya has impressed me as showing some distant affinity to the Choco
stock, and it may be that ampler resources on both sides would lead to
the establishment of an original identity. The following words from the
very scanty number which I have for comparison are noteworthy:
CHOCO STOCK. BETOYA STOCK.
Man, _uma-china_, _uma-soi_, _emi-ud_.
Woman, _uerá_, _ro_.
Fire, _tŭjoor_, _toa-tui_.
Ear, _juru_, _ca-joro-so_.
Nose, _jun_, _ju-saca_, _jin-quepui_.
The Choco _do_, river, seems related to the Betoya _ocu-du_, water.
The Macaguages are industrious and agricultural. Both sexes dress alike
in cotton tunics dyed in violet color, and suspend bright feathers and
strings of beads in ears, nose and lips.[423]
A singular question has arisen as to the relationship of the Betoya and
the Yarura languages. Their near connection was affirmed by the early
missionaries. In fact, the history of the conversion of the Betoyas turns
upon the identity of the two tongues. It was brought about in 1701 by a
Yarura Indian, a convert to Christianity, who accidentally discovered
that he was understood by the Betoyas.
In spite of this detail, it is evident from an inspection of the
vocabularies, that there is absolutely no relationship between the
two idioms. I can only explain the contradiction as arising from some
ambiguity or similarity of names. The two tribes lived together in the
time of Gumilla, making up about three thousand souls.[424]
About the middle of this century some six hundred of the Betoyas dwelt on
the head-waters of the river Manacacia.[425]
In the territory of St. Martin, above the falls of the Guaviare and
along the Rio Guejar and the Meta, are several tribes asserted to speak
related dialects, but of which I have little information. The principal
one is that of the _Churoyas_, of whom Professor Nicolas Saenz has given
an interesting sketch and a short vocabulary.[426] They are very ugly,
with broad faces, low foreheads, small and oblique eyes, and in color
like dried tobacco. Nudity is their usual garb, and the skin is decorated
with tattoo marks instead of clothing. According to Perez they number
about 1200.[427] Following him and other authorities, I may enumerate the
following members of the