is to say, That every one hath as many Souls as he hath Pulses, but the
chiefest is the Heart it self, which after Death removes with _Jeheizi_,
(that is every ones peculiar God or Genius) to the Company of the other
Deities, where they live after the same manner as here on Earth;
wherefore those that are Persons of Quality give Charge at their Deaths,
that their Servants may be kill’d and buried with them, that so they may
serve them in the other World; That the other Souls, which are the
Pulses, are of two sorts, whereof the first call’d _Maboya_’s, range
through Woods and Wildernesses; and the other call’d _The Oumekous_,
reside along the Sea, and over-turn the Ships that Sail by; That the
Souls of Heroes remove to pleasant and delightful Islands, where they
are serv’d by the _Arovages_; That Cowards at their Death go behind a
high Mountain, where they become perpetual Slaves to the _Arovages_.
So soon as they hear a clap of Thunder they run into their Huts, and
place themselves on little Stools round the Fire, cover their Faces, and
laying their Heads on their Knees, make a doleful noise, as supposing
that _Maboya_ is exceedingly enrag’d against them.
[Sidenote: Their manner of Dwelling.]
Their Huts, for the most part built near Rivers and Streams, are of an
oval fashion, their Roofs made of Palm-Tree Leaves or Sugar-Canes, the
Walls nothing but Boughs set in the Ground and pleited together, and the
Floor of sifted Earth or Sand, rammed in and kept very even and smooth;
besides a Room wherein they Sleep and Entertain their Friends, they have
also a Kitchin to dress their Meat, and a place to lay their Bowes,
Arrows, Clubs, and the like, in; they use Mats in stead of Walls, to
separate one Apartment from the other. Their Houshold-stuff is little;
the richest of them have Hammocks in stead of Beds; the meaner sort use
Sticks laid cross one another, and cover’d thick with the Leaves of the
_Banana_-Tree, made fast at the four corners with Cords. Hollow
_Calabashes_, and Earthen Ware call’d _Canaris_, serve them for their
Kitchin Utensils. In the little _Canaris_ they prepare their _Tumalis_,
or _Pepper-pottage_, and in the biggest their Liquor _Ovicou_.
Their Cleanliness may appear by this, that when they go to ease Nature,
they make a Hole in the Ground with a Stick, and after they have done,
stop it up again, burying their Excrement that it may not be seen.
Round about their Huts feed many Hens and Turkies, which they breed not
so much for their own use, as to exchange for Iron.
They remove their Habitations very often, either out of fear of being
haunted by the Ghost of some deceased Person, or to avoid some Smell
which they find noisom and offensive, or because their Hut hath been set
on fire by Lightning.
[Sidenote: Their Houshold Affairs and Diet.]
The Women are always employ’d to keep their Families in good order, to
prepare Venison and Fish for the Mens Tables, to spin Cotton, Comb their
Husbands, and paint them Red. The Men spend their time in the Wars,
Hunting or Fishing. They have also learn’d of the _Europeans_ to burn
Train-Oyl in Lamps in the Night, when as before they burnt Twigs of a
gummy Shrub before mention’d, which for that reason the _Hollanders_
call’d _Candle-Wood_. Each hath a little Stool, and a Table call’d
_Mantoutou_, on which he eats his Meat when he pleases, having no
set-Meals. The broad _Banana_-Leaves serve them for Napkins and
Table-clothes. Their chiefest Dainty is Crabs roasted in the Shell with
the Juice of Lemmon and _Pyman_. At great Feasts they dress their Meat
with the Fat of their Enemies, being the _Arovages_. Their usual Drink
is _Mabby_, made of _Potato_’s, which refreshes, and is good against the
Phlegm; also another Liquor call’d _Oko_ made of steep’d _Cassadar_, and
is like Beer in taste, strength, and colour. They also by making an
incision into the Palm-Trees, tap a Liquor from the same in
_Calabashes_, like White-wine. They use little of the Drink _Couscou_,
because it swells the Body, notwithstanding it is pleasing to the
Palate; But the Liquor which is most esteem’d amongst them, is the Wine
made of the Sugar-Canes, which are squeez’d in Mills made for that
purpose, and then boyl’d in great Kettles. During the dressing of their
Meat (which being done leisurely, is sometimes half a day before it is
ready), they Sing, and Dance to the Time, which one keeps with a
_Calabash_ fill’d full of little Stones, in which they believe the
greatest happiness they shall enjoy in the other World consists: But the
_Caribbeeans_ never Dance more antique than when they meet in the
_Carbet_, which is a publick House of Entertainment; whether the Women
carry a Drink made of _Cassave_, which makes Drunk as soon as Wine: The
Men bring Fish and Hedge-hogs; all of them painted with _Roucou_, and
adorn’d with Plumes of Feathers, commit all manner of Debaucheries. At
other times they also keep Feast-days, which is either when they are
preferr’d to some Office, or Place of Honor, or when they have defeated
their Enemies, or when they mourn for the Death of one of their nearest
Relations.
[Sidenote: Their Beasts.]
Their Boats, which they call _Periaquo_’s, are made of single hollow
Trees, full of Benches, and painted with several strange Shapes, and are
able each to carry fifty or sixty Men.
[Sidenote: Their Musical Instruments.]
Their Musical Instruments in which they take most delight, are Drums,
Strings of Silk-grass stretcht upon _Calabashes_, and Flutes made of the
Bones of their Enemies.
[Sidenote: Their watchfulness against Enemies.]
[Sidenote: Their Entertainment of Friends.]
They keep Watches on high Hills, to descry the Ships off at Sea, and no
sooner have they espy’d one, but they immediately give notice to one
another; whereupon those that are most valiant put off to Sea in their
_Canoos_ and know by the Languages to distinguish between a _Spaniard_,
_French_-man, _English_-man and _Hollander_. If they find that ’tis an
Enemy who Lands on their Coasts, they guard all their Avenues, lie in
Ambuscades, and gather together in by-ways, and where they see any
advantage they shoot thousands of Arrows; which done, they fall in
amongst them with great Clubs: but if they chance to be defeated, then
they lurk behind Bramble-bushes, or climb up inaccessible Mountains, or
else, if near the Sea, they save themselves by Diving and Swimming under
Water above two hundred Paces before they appear again; and if a Party
of them chance to meet together afterwards, they venture a second
Engagement; But if those that come on their Coasts are Friends, they
Swim, or go in their Boats to meet them, climb up their Ships, and carry
the Sea-men on their Shoulders ashore, where the _Casique_ in the Name
of the whole Island bids them welcome, and conducts them to the
_Carbet_, where an antient Man salutes the old Men, and a Youth the
young Men; after which asking their Names, the _Couban_ calls himself by
that Name ever after; and desires the Strangers to accept of his Name;
during which their changing of Names they use many Ceremonies of
Friendship: this done, they proffer them Cotton Hammocks to rest
themselves in, and pleasant Fruit to eat, till they have prepar’d other
Meat; which is no sooner Ready, but a little Table is set before every
one of them, and a Dish of Meat consisting of boyl’d Hedge-hogs, boyl’d
Crabs, and Pot-herbs; which if the Guests do not eat heartily, or drink
up all the Liquor which they give them, they take it as a great Affront;
but if they eat and drink heartily, they take it kindly, and shew great
sorrow at their departure.
Their Offices of Government have been usually three; the meanest
belong’d to the _Tiouboulihauthe_, whose Place was to Govern over the
_Carbet_, a House where Strangers were Entertain’d, Matters of War
disputed of, and publick Feasts kept. _Tiouboutonti_ Commanded the
_Canoos_ in the time of War, that is, under the _Nahalene_, who
Commanded the whole Fleet: But the chiefest Officer of all was the
_Ouboutou_; to which degree of Honor none attain’d, unless he had kill’d
several _Arovages_, or at least a Governor.
When the _Caribbeeans_ drew all their Forces out of the Islands to a
Battel, then they chose one out of the _Ouboutou_, who during their
March Commanded the Army as General, which his Office ended with the
War, and extended no farther than his own Island.
[Sidenote: Their warlike Consultations.]
Their warlike Consultations were no less observable for the _Ouboutou_
appointed a Day, on which the Islanders met at a Feast in the _Carbet_,
whither they accordingly came all at the time appointed, and having Eat
and Drunk, and Danc’d a considerable time, an ancient Woman with tears
in her Eyes, and mournful Countenance enter’d the _Carbet_, and desir’d
Audience; which being granted her, and every one silent, she began to
relate the Damages which from antient times the _Arovages_ did to the
_Caribbeeans_; and that in the last Engagement so many valiant Men were
slain, and afterwards devour’d by them; therefore it would be a shame
not to take Revenge, which being seconded by the _Ouboutu_, put Valor
into the Hearts of all that were present: Whereupon the following day
Messengers were sent to the other Islands to acquaint them with their
Intentions, that they might prepare their Clubs, make sharp and poyson
their Arrows, String their Bowes, prepare Provisions, and fit out their
_Canoos_: They poyson’d their Arrows with the Juice of _Manchenillo_’s,
which made the least Wound mortal. Their Provisions and Arms they laid
up in their _Canoos_, so to preserve their _Periaguo_’s (which are Boats
that can carry fifty Men), if they should chance to over-set, which
often happen’d, though they were soon turn’d up again. They went from
one Island to another, where they not onely stor’d themselves with fresh
Provisions, but increas’d their Fleet with new Assistants; with which
approaching the Main, they hal’d their Boats ashore in the Evening, and
driving four Stakes into the Ground under the Trees, made fast their
Hammocks to the same, in which they slept till Mid-night, and then fell
on their Enemies, but if discover’d by them, they retreated to their
Boats and return’d home; but if they were not discover’d, they fell upon
the Huts of the _Arovages_; who resisting, they shot Arrows with burning
Cotton into them, and so setting them on fire, forc’d the _Arovages_ to
venture a Battel in the open Field; where having spent all their Arrows,
they Engag’d one another with great Clubs, with which at one Blow they
broke either Arms or Legs, or knock’d out their Brains. If the
_Caribbeeans_ chanc’d to be defeated, then those that remain’d of their
Party made a lamentable noise, howling for those that were kill’d, and
mix’d their Tears with the Blood of their slain Friends, whom not
without the greatest danger they fetch’d from amongst their Enemies, and
carried them aboard their Boats: But returning Victors, the were wont to
insult over their Prisoners with all the bitter Taunts imaginable, and
then taking advantage of those sharp Upbraidings which their cruel usage
extorted from them, to put them to death with most inhumane Tortures,
and then to Feast themselves upon their mangled Bodies, all claiming a
Right to their several Prisoners, as to so many Beasts appointed to the
Slaughter; But of late Ages they have contented themselves to dispatch
them speedily with their Clubs, and so assign them to their Shambles.
[Sidenote: Their Enmity to the _Spaniard_.]
As the _Arovages_ had been formerly, so the _Spaniards_ at length became
the Object of the _Caribbeeans_ irreconcileable Hatred, insomuch that
oft-times being Invaded by them, they gave them such rough
Entertainment, that they were glad to save themselves by flight; for the
_Caribbeeans_ not regarding their Guns, press’d upon them, and many
times took Vessels richly laden from them, till of late years that a
Peace hath been concluded between them; wherein nevertheless those of
the _Caribbeeans_ refuse to be concern’d, that inhabit _St. Dominico_
and _St. Vincent_, who cannot to this day forget the cruel Outrages
committed by the _Spaniards_.
[Sidenote: Their Marriages.]
To come to their Marriages, they were allow’d as many Wives as they
pleas’d to have, insomuch that their Governors were in esteem according
to the number of their Wives; nor were degrees of Consanguinity so
regarded, but that an Uncle might take his Neece; whom he no sooner had
carried to his House, but the Marriage was finish’d. They seldom
Divorc’d their Wives after they had bore them Children, but otherwise
the Man would break the Bond of Matrimony when he pleas’d. A young Man
that had no Relation might court a Stranger, and if her Parents allow’d
of it, the Match was made. One that had behav’d himself valiantly
against the _Arovages_ was sure of several good Matches, for he was
refus’d by none whom he Courted; and the abundance of Wives was the
greatest testimony of their Valor. Each Wife had a peculiar Dwelling, so
to prevent all Dissentions: So soon as one of them was with Child, her
Husband Lay not with her till after Delivery. If any Woman committed
Adultery, her Husband was permitted to knock out her Brains, or rip open
her Belly; which done, he acquainted her Father with the Deed, who
return’d him thanks for the same. Murderers were either burnt or cut in
pieces. Children were born here with little trouble, for the Women were
no sooner Deliver’d, but they carried the Infant to wash at the next
Brook; which done they return’d home to their Houshold Labor, whilest
the Man on the contrary kept his Bed, and ate nothing but a piece of
_Cassava_ Bread, which he hollow’d out in the middle, and left the edges
till the Feast, which was kept at the Naming of the Child: Moreover, he
fed on all manner of Dainties for a whole year after. But this Custom
was observ’d onely at the Birth of the first Son, at which time they
scratch’d the Father’s Shoulder with a sharp Curry-combe, at which if he
flinch’d not, it was accounted a good Omen of the Childs future Valor.
At fifteen days old they made Holes in the Childs Ears, Lips, and
Nostrils, through which they put a String for the tying on of what-ever
Ornamentals. With the like Ceremonies the Child receiv’d a Name, taken
from his Predecessors, Trees, Fishes, or some remarkable Passages during
the Mothers bearing of the Infant in her Womb, or of the Father’s
Lying-in: But this Name was chang’d so soon as they went to War, or
kill’d a Commander of the _Arovages_, whose Name they exchang’d for
their own: After which the Mothers took special care in bringing them
up, and at six Moneths the Children were able to run alone: When they
attain’d to the age of two years, they cut off their Hair, at a great
Feast made for that purpose; from which time forward they exercis’d them
in Shooting with Bowes and Arrows; to which purpose they hung up pieces
of Meat for them to shoot at, which they must either hit down, or Fast.
[Sidenote: Initiation of Soldiers.]
Their Ceremonies to make Soldiers were very strange, _viz._ The Father
conducted his Son to the _Carbet_, where he told him the Duties of a
Soldier, beat him with a Bird of prey, call’d _Mans-fenis_, till he had
bruis’d the Head of the Bird, and scratch’d his whole Body all over with
a Curry-combe till the Blood came, and then put Lemmon Juice into the
Wounds, afterwards put him in a Hammock, and hung him up for several
days without giving him any Meat; all which Torments and Trials if he
endur’d with patience, then he was accounted a good and approved
Soldier.
[Sidenote: Of their Priests.]
Few bred up their Children to be _Boyez_ or Priests; yet those that were
brought up to it, abstain’d from certain Food from their Infancy, and
before they could be receiv’d into the Order of Priesthood, they were
forc’d to draw Blood from every part of their Bodies.
[Sidenote: Great age of the _Caribbeeans_.]
The _Caribbeeans_ attain to an exceeding great Age: _Charles de
Rotchfort_ witnesseth, That in his time there liv’d Men who remembred
the first Arrival of the _Spaniards_ under the Command of _Christopher
Columbus_, which consider’d, they could not be less than each of them a
hundred and sixty years old. Many Women also were found there, who bare
Children after they were eighty years of age: yet nevertheless they are
not free from Sicknesses and Distempers, which cannot justly be
attributed to the Climate, that being extraordinary healthful, but to
their ill Diet. Besides the troublesom Disease call’d _Pyans_, which
makes their Bodies swell full of great Knobs, they have been much
troubled with pestilential Sores, occasion’d by the eating of Crabs, and
poysonous Tortoises, _Lamantins_, and Hedg-hogs. Against which Evils
they wanted not Medicines, consisting of Herbs, Roots, Gums, and Oyl.
The bitter Bark of the _Chipiou_-Tree, steep’d in Water, and mix’d with
_Lanbys_, hath a soveraign operation. The like vertue is in the Juyce of
the _Myby_-Tree, which they us’d to take inwardly: and for outward
Means, they us’d a Salve made of burnt Cane-ashes, temper’d with a Water
press’d out of a certain Tree. To draw the Matter out of the Sores, they
us’d the Juice of _Junipa_. Letting Blood was never customary amongst
them, but to cut and scratch the sore part was to them in stead of
Phlebotomy. But if all the fore-mention’d Medicines would not help them,
they fled for aid to the _Boyez_, who immediately order’d the Hut
wherein the Patient lay to be made clean, the Table call’d _Matoutou_ to
be over-spread with _Cassave_, _Ouycou_, and Garden Fruits, for an
Offering to the evil Spirit _Maboya_, and as many Stools to be plac’d
about the same as there were People to be present at the Ceremony; and
after that all the Fire and Candles were put out, the _Boye_ enter’d
into the Hut about Midnight with a Lighted Roll of Tobacco, then
muttering some words to himself, stamp’d with his left Foot, and blew
the Smoak of the Tobacco up into the Air, which done, and tearing the
Tobacco in pieces, he threw the same over the Hut, and call’d up his
Spirit, who shaking the Roof of the House, made a terrible noise; then
the _Boye_ drew near to the Patient, suck’d his Sores, and anointed them
with the Juice of _Junipa_; after which if the sick Person recover’d, he
made a great Feast, and an Offering to the aforesaid Spirit: But if the
Distemper were mortal, then the _Boye_ inform’d the Patient’s Relations,
That his Spirit had compassion upon the Sick, and was resolv’d to carry
him above the Stars, to accompany the other Gods which reside there.
Thus much in general of the Inhabitants of the Isles that lie before
_Northern America_; it will next be requisite to give you an Account of
them in particular.
[Sidenote: The number of the _Caribbee_ Islands.]
[Sidenote: Their several Names.]
There are generally reckon’d of these Islands twenty eight by Name,
though there are many more in number; for besides that there are a
multitude of small obscure Islands that are not nam’d, there are of the
more considerable sometimes two or three that go under one Name; the
twenty eight are these following: _Anegada_, _Sombrero_, _Las Virgines_,
_Anguilla_, _Saba_, _St. Crux_, _St. Martin_, _St. Bartholomew_,
_Barbouthos_ or _Barboude_, _Rotonda_, _Nevis_, _Eustathius_, _Antego_,
_Montserrat_, _Guadalupe_, _Deseado_, _Marigalanta_, _Todos Sanctos_,
_De Aves_, _Dominico_, _Martinego_, _St. Lucia_, _Barbados_, _St.
Vincent_, _Bekia_, _Granada_, _Tabago_, _St. Christopher_.
SECT. II.
Anegada and Sombrero.
[Sidenote: Situation of _Anegada_ and _Sombreros_.]
[Sidenote: The _Mansfeny_.]
[Sidenote: The _Colibry_.]
Towards the North-East of _Porto Rico_, at eighteen Degrees and thirteen
Minutes, lies _Anegada_, seven Leagues long, surrounded with Shoals and
Banks, as also the neighboring _Sombrero_, being in the same Latitude
with the other, and so call’d by the _Spaniard_, because it appears like
a Hat: Both of them being uninhabited, harbor abundance of Birds,
amongst which is the _Mansfeny_, a little Eagle, and the remarkable
_Colibry_, whose Body being a little bigger than a _Wren_, is adorn’d
with divers colour’d Feathers, resembling a Rain-bowe; about its Neck is
a Carbuncle red Circle; the Belly and ends of the Feathers are of a
Golden colour, the Sides of an Emerauld green, the Bill and Legs black
like polish’d Ebony, the Eyes glittering like Diamonds, on the Head a
curious green tuft of Feathers: the Cocks far exceed the Hens in beauty;
they flie swifter than any Bird whatsoever, and the fluttering of their
Wings makes a noise like a Whirlwind: they live upon the Juice of
Flowers, and especially of Cotton-Flowers; they smell like Amber, and
build their Nests amongst the thick Leaves of a little Bough, where they
cannot easily be found; the Nest it self open towards the South, is
curiously made of the fine Fibres of the Plant _Pite_, surrounded with
pieces of Bark, and within fill’d with Cotton, douny Feathers, and Silk;
the Eggs oval, are somewhat bigger than an ordinary Pearl.
[Sidenote: _Painted Crabs._]
In the Moneth of _May_ that sort of Crabs call’d _Painted Crabs_ (for
some have Violet-colour’d Shells, others yellow, full of purple Specks,
and others tawny, with red Streaks) come creeping down the Hills in good
order, eat up all the Herbs and Plants, and go four times one after
another into the Water to wash themselves, which done they return to the
Woods; but the Females at a set-time betake themselves to the Sea, in
which they Lay their Eggs, which afterwards being cast on the sandy
Shore, and warm’d by the Beams of the Sun, produce young Crabs in a
short time, which no sooner come out of the Shell, but creep towards the
Woods, when grown somewhat bigger they climb up the Rocks, where the old
ones keep in vast multitudes, and stop up the Entrance of their Holes in
such a manner, that they cannot be found out, whilest they cast off
their Shell, creeping out backward through an opening at the Tail scarce
discernable; thus for a certain time they lie bare, and stript of their
Shells, being onely cover’d with a thin Skin, which growing harder and
harder, becomes at last a firm Shell like the former.
These Crabs are a wholsom Meat, unless they feed under the
_Mancheneel_-Trees, which commonly are poysonous.
SECT. III.
Las Virgines.
[Sidenote: Situation of _Las Virgines_.]
Near _Sombrero_, at eighteen Degrees, lie also the two Isles _Las
Virgines_, surrounded by ten others (and flat Shelves), without Trees or
fresh Water; but the Sea thereabouts abounds with Fish, and chiefly with
the _Perroket_, which hath Scales like a Carp, but greenish; the Eyes
surrounded with Silver Circles shine very bright; in stead of Teeth they
have strong Jaw-bones, wherewith they Grind all manner of Shell-fish,
which are their Prey. These Fish have an excellent Rellish, and weigh
generally twenty Pound.
[Sidenote: The Fish _Dorade_.]
Here is likewise great plenty of the _Dorade_, which is a very large
Fish, and about five Foot long, full of little Scales, with a prickly
Back, two Fins at the parting of the Head, and as many under the Belly.
This Fish swimming very swift, oftentimes follows the Ships that Sail
that way.
SECT. IV.
Anguilla.
[Sidenote: Situation of _Anguilla_.]
Southward at eighteen Degrees and twenty Minutes, on this side of the
Line, appears _Anguilla_, inhabited by the _English_, containing ten
Leagues in length; It makes a pleasant Prospect, because of the many
_Junipa_-Trees which grow upon the same, whose Boughs bend towards the
Ground; the Leaves are not unlike those of an Oak; the Flowers both in
smell and shape come near the _Narcissus_; the Wood firm and grey, may
be neatly Plan’d; the Tree bears fresh Leaves every Moneth, and a Fruit
like Apples, which generally crack in their fall from the Tree, because
of their thin Shell, as hath been already describ’d.
[Sidenote: _Oculiem_ a sort of Vine]