New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-28
THOSE QUEER PEOPLE, THE CARDS.
NOTES OF DIR. LIE PLONGEON'S EXPLORA-
TIONS.

NOlES Of DIX LIE PLONGEONS EAfLOhA-
TIONS.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: When in Belize, British Honduras, we had
opportunities of learning something about the inter
esting people called Cards or Caras the word
meaninga brave man. They supposed to have
existed as powerful race in prehistoric times,
and to have spread all over the globe. their name
varying little in each place. They themselves
say they came from the North, and some traditions
are found among them that make the plains of
Florida their cradle. They in complete
state of decadcnce at the time of the discovery of
America, but highly civilized people long
before that time. Heritage WAS still carefully
regarded and kept in the reigning family; great
respect being shown to tho princes and to the
religious tenets as well as obedience to their laws,
and much tenacity in clinging to ancient customs.
Tho Caribs in British Honduras go to the city of
Belize t. sell yams and kind of bread called
cazave, made from the yucca plant. This bread is
made in the form Of large, round, thin and crisp
cakes, and is almost tastcless. In a crowd these
strange people at once attract attention by their
peculiar language. 1t sounds like the following
syllables constantly repeated with great rapdity
glOo-ga toJ-boogdlOoJ but strange to say they use
the French numerals up to ten, though French is
hardly spoken IN British Honduras. Ii sounds odd
to hear ron, deur, trOis, qudtre mingled with their
goo-gloo talk; but the of it is that those
particular CARDS come from Saint Vincent in the
West Indies.
The women dress in skirts but wear no jacket
over their low. necked under garment. They twist
a gaudy striped kerchief round their heads as a
turban, and wear all the ornaments they can
obtain. favorite necklace being q string of gold
OF silver coin. They are not accustomed to eat
with their husbands, or associate with them rs
hqs NJ lrlb
tured these women from another tribe and made
them their wives. but the women swore that they
wsuld never be their companions. though COM
PEELED TO serve them.
IL was rumored that the CARDS dwelling at Stan
Creek a settlement not far from Belize every year
made human sacrifice. Sir Frederick Barce ut
that time Lieutenant- Governor of the colony, made
inquiries to put stop to it if possible. Stan Creek
beng within his jurisdiction; but the accounts
were rather conflicting. Ii seems that once year
Gftcen or sixteen Cards. accompanied by their
wives 90 70 an empty, well-ccaned house away
IN the woods They 90 IN procession to the beating
of drnm taking with them one male child five or
six years old whose mother is compelled to remain
IN the village They allow no one to follow them,
bey.ad their number, AMI when asked to give an
account of their proceedings say: After we shut
our,elycs in the house. we light great big fire in
the middle of the OOr (the earth serves n fioorl
and stand round il. Afterward we lie down with
our faces 10 the ground. leaving the child standing
m our midst (whcre tho fire ISL When we look
ND the child has dsappeared-he is carried away
by Maia' They return TO the village without
the child which Is never again seen or heard OF.
aud when urged to sny what they have do1e with
IT, reply that they have given IL TO Mana 10
educate Every year one child disappears In that
bcy really aq do With H. because when in the great
hut where they say they meet Mana, they take
every precaution to prevent any one from peeping
Some assert that no boy is sacrificed. bat they do
worship an invisible being of that name, because
they regard 1t as an evil power; hut they make
nothinp 10 represent It and worship no good being.
When we ourselves questioned Carib about the
mysterious Malta he SAID It was the Devil 50 they
worshippcd him. not God, Tor COD was sood, MaIil,
ne SAID always carried away the boy that was
offered 10 hiul We asked IL he thought the Deyll
atc the hoy. desiring To find snt whether they IN
dulgcd in little cannibal but his very prudent
answer was Maybe" Yet, among the mountains
of Guatemala, where. even few years ago, the true
Cards could be found, they from time to time 10
dmIgcd i'm eating young child or old person, more
nv way of a sacrifice than 10 crafty their appettes
The Caribs in Guatemala werc.almost waite, but
those IN British Honduras are very a la, a.ooy
They also have a dance call " Manas dance"
in which they make maiden rs intoxicated rs
possible undrcss her. then form circle round her
and dance, making all sorts OF SHY ahllcS;. u
bauouet bcfug spread IN an ADJOINING room Tor
Malta 10 partakc of. The authorities at stan Creek
forbade the dance. but The order only resulted III
They are poygamsts can have ~ many wives as
thev can build houses for. because each must nave
her own home When "A man desires to make any
womon his wife he proposes TO her, aud II she
accents him clears a patch Of ground builds hut,
aud nauts some banana trcos. then takes her there
They have no marriage ceremony of their own, but
occo.ioually n Carib IL now married 10 MS hrst
wife bv The Catholic priest. The women do all the
worl, even cultivating the ground. They have to
nroyIde for themselves and their children, as well
as for the husband when he VISITS them. IL u
woman ventures 10 marry one who Is not n camp
she is liable 10 be tied to posi-, naked, ana
vhinped by any one who chooses 10 lnnct the
pcralty on her And If a man among them leaves
his pcOple when child, he must return WITHIN u
certain period and build a mouse, or be hencel0rtn
considered by thcm Outcast. A boy; VINO hSd
hccn taken into a white family, when asked II ne
woud not like to 90 back to his people. sad: NOT
tll nm little bigger because they might give mo
to Mafap A Meteedst minister VINO was some
time in Stan Crock said the Cards were very non,
csf and harmless but great drunk!rds, ana AFRAID
of tho sirht of human blood. But they can roast Z
live child wIthsut seeing blood. m.
They are very able boatmen ana VIII pluule
themselves about in deep water swarnlhg WltE
sLorLs with the greatest confidence. Ihey stahu
mn in their tiny craft called dory sometimes SO
small thot M n distance the man appears 10 walk
IN tho water and if he happened to lose his balance
be and his boat would beth disappear IN the deep
ho anu '''' ALICE ID. LIZ PLoNGEoN.
BROOKLYN, Juno 20, 1885
SMALL. BUT MLTCB FOR BIO SNiNDAhh