The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-08-08
THE CARIBS ESCAPE.
Story Of Their determination By
! Volcanic Eruption Not True.
Interesting and BaMtng Subjects
Whose Origin In shrouded in g
Mystery-TheIr Present where
abouts Accounted For.

| That the last of the Carlos have been
| exterminated by recent eruptions OF
| volcanoes on the Windward islands is
denied by authorities, who say that
| there was no member of the race on
| Martinique, and if any remna a twas de-
| stroyed on st. Vincent it was not the
fault of the English government, which
| dea.rted 5000, the entire number then
inha biting this island, in 1876 They
are scattered throughout South and
Central America, and representatives
oe the tribes are found occasionally on
the group of islands in the sea that
gets it's name from them, says the Chi
cago Post.
Students of ethnology have found
the Caribs interesting and be ffi;rc
subjects. Their origin is enshrouGes!
in mystery, and the black types often
found in Belize and Honduras arc
taken by some scientists as proof that
African blood was mixed with that of
the Caribs long before the whites
brought slaves to America.
The pure type of Carib differs radio
ally from that of other natives Of
the Americas. 1t is now difficult to
find the red native with the character
istics that distinguished him when his
country was discovered by the Spanish
navigators. Negro and Arowak blood
is now so mixed with the Carib that
the casual traveller in the tropics is con
fused.
When England deported the 5000 men,
women and children of the Caribbean
race from st. Vincent they were taken
to Granada. A few years later they
were taken to Belize. Prof. Starr, of
the University of Chicago, who has
spent some time in Central America, is
Of the opinion that no Caribs were de=
stroyed by the recent volcanic disturb
ances in the Caribbean sea.
"They once inhabited most of the
Lesser Antilles" he said, "but to-day
they are mostly on the mainland There
were once three kinds, ella fled IS is
land, coast and inland Caribs. When
Columbus discovered America the is
land Caribs were a powerful in
the Antilles. Ethnologists differ as to
their movements previous to that time.
Some authorities maintain that they
were of southern race moving north,
but it is my opinion that the theory
of northern race going south is the
correct one.
GAS far back as any authentic his
tory goes we find records of black
Caribs There is much evidence to
prove that the black Carib visited long
before the white people brought At.
rican slaves to this country. This has
caused much interesting speculation.
and no doubt is proof of movements of
people that we know nothing of.
"The Carib is Of the South American
Indian type. He is very sturdy man.
It is said they are the handsomest
race native to the Americas. The Carib
proved himself superior to other ma
tires before the arrival of the whites
arrested the progress of Indian affairs.
They were good potters and were the
only Indians that used sails for their
canoes, which were the best made yes
sells found in America"
Caribs are often pointed out to tray-
elers in South and Central America.
They are proud of their race. They are
Industrious and are of great service to
contractors in their east coast towns
When the Carib is not working he will
likely be found on some wharf. His
holiday clothes make him pictur-
esaue and pleasing object. White
trousers and shirt, a red sash with a
knife sticking carelessly in its folds
and white straw hat decorated with
a folded wtite bard is almost the fixed
attire for a male. In this cool cos
tune they are seen at the tropical
ports. particularly in Belize. Guate-
mala and Honduras. Their black faces
and bare black feet shine like ebony,
and when they smile, which is not as
often as is the habit of the African, a
deal of ivory is shown.
Carib boys are almost the equal of
fish in the water, and they dive after
a>coin thrown into the water, beat it
to the bottom, and lay there until it
futters down to them, the entire per-
formance being visible in the trans
parent waters of their tropical sea.