The Monte Vista journal., 1905-08-19
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Among the Caribs

When Columbus first sailed his
quaint caravels across the blue Carib-
bean Sea and gazed with wonder on
the verdure clad mountains Of the
Antilles he found the beautiful
islands inhabited by a strange canni-
bal race, which he called Caribs.
Spanish. French and English in their
turn found this warlike people a
menace to their settlements and
progress and fought them doggedly,
but more or less Intellectually, for
three centuries. Merciless, warlike
and brave. these Caribs not only
waged relentless war upon the whites.
but In their swift dugout canoes made
frequent sorties from one island to
another to prey upon their neighbors
Of their own race.
On these excursions they killed the
men and carried the women back as
slaves and wives and celebrated their
victories by cannibal orgies. and 1t
WAS doubtless upon the island of
Tobago on such an occasion that
Robinson Crusoe saved the life Of
his Man Friday.
At last, however, the superior arms
and skill Of the Europeans triumphed
over the savage foe and the natives
were gradually forced back from the
coasts and exterminated. until today
the sole survivors Of this once dreaded
people number scarcely one hundred
eminent reservation on the island OF
Dominica.
Previous to the eruptions Of Morue
Pelee and the SoufTriere of st. Vim
cent there was another small band
Of Caribs in the latter island; all OF
these however. were destroyed by the
eruptions.
OF the Dominican Caribs only about
one-half are Of pure blood. or 80
nearly pure that no trace of negro
blood Is discernible. The others are
greatly mixed. and 1t is dificult to
determine where negro leaves on
and Carib begins.
In appearance the Caribs are rather
short and thick set, with yellowish or
coppery olive skin, stiff. straight.
blue-blaek hair and oval faces with
distinctly Monaghan features. They
are quiet almost TO taciturnity. in.
dustrious and peaceable. but. like
Poor Lo.' everywhere have an In.
veterate fondness for strong drink,
and also possess another unfortu-
nate Indian failing. being incor-
vikible thieves. They profess the
Catholic religion. dress in civilized
clothes and dwell in neatly made but
primitive houses Of mud daubed cane
or waffle matched with pandanus or
palm leaves.
Two Forms Of Language.
Few. II any. Of their members now
speak the Garth tongue. but many
possess a limited knowledge Of Carib
words. Strangely enough. the Garth
language had two distinct forms. one
Of which was confined to the use Of
the women. the other TO the men.
This state OF Affairs was doubtless
due to the fact already mentioned
that their wives were captured from
other tribes. Their numerai system
was also rather remarkable; they
were unable to count numerically
above ave. The word for fve was the
same a. for hand" Ten was two
hands" or half 4 man." fifteen was
q foot and two hands" and twenty
Two hands and two feet" or . man."
and 20 on.
The Dominican Caribk are for the
moss part agrieulturtsta in 4 small
way. and cultivate little patches Of
cacao. cane. yams. plantains. etc.
Some work - laborers on neighbor.
ing estates. and many are fishermen.
Their fishing boats are particularly
Interesting. inasmuch - they have
apparently been patterned from the
6ower spath Of the palm tree. In
fact. the boys use the natural spaihes
for toy canoes. The real canoes are
"A 49,!