thern to the southern peninsula: but, without attempting to controvert the position to which recent discoveries seem indeed to have given a full confirmation, namely, that the Asiatic continent first furnished inhabitants to the contiguous North-Western parts of America, I conceive the Charaibes to have been a distinct race, widely differing from all the nations of the new hemisphere; and I am even inclined to adopt the opinion of Hornius and other writers, who ascribe to them an oriental ancestry from across the Atlantic.*

Inquiries, however, into the origin of a remote and unlettered race, can be prosecuted with success only by comparing their ancient manners, laws, language, and religious ceremonies, with those of other nations. Unfortunately, in all or most of these particulars respecting the Charaibes, our knowledge is limited within a narrow circle. Of a people engaged in perpetual warfare, hunted from island to island by revenge and rapacity, few opportunities could have offered, even to those who might have been qualified for such researches, of investigating the natural dispositions and habitual customs with minuteness and precision. Neither indeed could a just estimate have been formed of their national character, from the manners of such of them as were at length subjugated to the European yoke; for they lost, together with their freedom, maof their original characteristics; and at last even the

ny

Some arguments in support of this opinion are subjoined in the Appendix to Book I.

desire of acting from the impulse of their own minds. We discern, says Rochefort,† a wonderful change in the dispositions and habits of the Charaibes. In some respects we have enlightened; in others (to our shame be it spoken) we have corrupted them. An old Charaibe thus addressed one of our planters on this subject:-"Our people," he complained, are become "almost as bad as yours.-We are so much altered "since you came among us, that we hardly know our"selves, and we think it is owing to so melancholy a

66

change, that hurricanes are more frequent than they "were formerly. It is the Evil Spirit who has done "all this, who has taken our best lands from us, and "given us up to the dominion of the Christians."+

My present investigation must therefore be necessarily defective. Nevertheless, by selecting and ccmbining such memorials as are least controverted, I shall hope to exhibit a few striking particulars in the

Rochefort, liv. ii. ch. ix. p. 436.

This extract from Rochefort is surely a sufficient answer to the ob. servations of Mons. de Chanvalon, who wrote so late as 1751, and, judging of all the Charaibes from the few with whom he had any communication, represents them as not possessing any sagacity or foresight beyond mere animal instinct. He makes no allowance for their degrada-` tion in a state of captivity and servitude, although in another part of his book, speaking of the African blacks in the West Indies, he dwells strongly on this circumstance respecting the latter. "Peut on connoitre "(he observes) le vrai genie d'un peuple opprimè, qui voit sans cesse "les chatimens levès sur sa tete, et la violence toujours prête à être sou❝ tenue par la politique et la sûreté publique? Peut on juger de la va. ❝leur, quand elle est enchainée, et sans armees?"-Voyage a la Martinique, p. 58.

character of this ill-fated people, which, if I mistake not, will lead to some important conclusions in the study of human nature.

Their fierce spirit and warlike disposition have already been mentioned. Historians have not failed to notice these, among the most distinguishable of their qualities. §-Restless, enterprizing, and ardent, it would seem they considered war as the chief end of their creation, and the rest of the human race as their natural prey; for they devoured without remorse the bodies of such of their enemies (the men at least) as fell into their hands.-This custom is so repugnant to our feelings, that for a century past, until the late discoveries of a similar practice in the countries of the Pacific ocean, the philosophers of Europe had boldly impeached the veracity of the most eminent ancient voyagers who had first recorded the existence of it. Even Labat, who resided in the West Indies at a period when some of the islands still remained in pos

§ Dr. Robertson, in note 93 to the first vol. of his History of America, quotes from a MS. History of Ferdinand and Isabella, written by Andrew Bernaldes, the cotemporary and friend of Columbus, the following instance of the bravery of the Charaibes. "A canoe with four men, "two women, and a boy, unexpectedly fell in with Columbus's fleet. "A Spanish bark with twenty-five men was sent to take them, and the "fleet in the mean time cut off their communication with the shore. In"stead of giving way to despair, the Charaibes seized their arms with "undaunted resolution, and began the attack, wounding several of the 46 Spaniards although they had targets as well as other defensive armour ; "and even after the canoe was overset, it was with no little difficulty and "danger that some of them were secured, as they continued to defend "themselves, and to use their bows with great dexterity while swimming "in the sea."-Herrera has recorded the same anecdote.

session of the Charaibes, declares it to be his opinion that instances of this abominable practice among them, were at all times extremely rare ;-the effect only of a sudden impulse of revenge arising from extraordinary and unprovoked injury; but that they ever made premeditated excursions to the larger islands, for the purpose of devouring any of the inhabitants, or of seizing them to be eaten at a future time, he very confidently denies.§

Nevertheless, there is no circumstance in the history of mankind better attested than the universal prevalence of these practices among them. Columbus was not only informed of it by the natives of Hispaniola, as I have already related, but having landed himself at Guadaloupe on its first discovery, he beheld in several cottages the head and limbs of the human body recently separated, and evidently kept for occasional repasts. He released, at the same time, several of the natives of Porto Rico, who, having been brought captives from thence, were reserved as victims for the same horrid purpose.*

Thus far, it must be confessed, the disposition of the Charaibes leaves no very favourable impression on

§ Labat, tom. iv. p. 322.

November 4, 1493.

* F. Columbus, cap. xlvi. Peter Martyr, Decad. I. lib. ii. Herrera, lib. ii. cap. vii. See also Bancroft's History of Guiana, p. 259, who is of opinion, that no other tribe of Indians in Guiana eat human flesh but the Charaibes. Amongst these, the proof that this practice still subsiste is incontestible.

the mind of the reader; by whom it is probable they will be considered rather as beasts of prey, than as human beings; and he will think, perhaps, that it was nearly as justifiable to exterminate them from the earth, as it would be to destroy the fiercest monsters of the wilderness; since they who shew no mercy, are entitled to no pity.

But, among themselves they were peaceable, and towards each other faithful, friendly and affectionate.† They considered all strangers, indeed, as enemies; and of the people of Europe they formed a right estimation. The antipathy which they manifested towards the unoffending natives of the larger islands appears extraordinary; but it is said to have descended to them from their ancestors of Guiana: they considered those islanders as a colony of Arrowauks, a nation of South America, with whom the Charaibes of that continent are continually at war. We can assign no cause for such hereditary and irreconcileable hostility. With regard to the people of Europe, it is allowed that, whenever any of them had acquired their confidence, it was given without reserve. Their friendship was as warm as their enmity was implacable. The Charaibes of Guiana still fondly cherish the tradition of Raleigh's alliance, and to this day preserve the English colours which he left with them at parting.§

+ Rochefort, liv. ii. cap. xi. Du Tertre, tom. ii. p. 359Rochefort, liv. ii. chap. x. p. 449.

§ Bancroft, p. 259.