24 BULLETIN 14 7, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Churchiirs Vo_yages with Ferdinand Columbus's narrative of " the 

 history of the life and actions of adm. Christopher Columbus, and of 

 his discovery of the West Indies, called the New World, now in 

 possession of His Catholick Majesty." "^ 



The following passage from the manuscript is of interest in this 

 connection. 



The admiral told me that the language of the Pro\'ince Madalena Maroris 

 was different from the rest, and was not understood in all parts of the country ; 

 and therefore bid me go and reside with another principal cacique, called 

 Guarionex, lord of many subjects, whose language was understood all over the 

 island. I went to reside with the said Guarionex. I said to D. Christopher 

 Columbus : My lord, why will you have me go and live with Guarionex when I 

 know no language but that of Maroris? (Macoris — of the long-haired Ciguayans 

 of Samana and the northeast coast.) Be pleased to give leave that one of these 

 Nohuircis (?) who know both languages go with me. 



Diilerences in speech between the Macorises (Ciguayans) and the 

 subjects of Guarionex of the Cibao Valley were in all probability not 

 far-reaching. The Ciguayans were a mountain folk and spoke an 

 Arawak dialect. They were not Caribs, a fact brought out by their 

 traditional friendship for the Indians of the Cibao Valley and by 

 their alliance with them in war. 



" Macorix de aba jo " was under the leadership of the cacique 

 Guarionex and included a long narrow portion of the Vega Real at 

 the southern foot of the Cordillera Setentrional and stretched north- 

 ward to Marien and as far west as the town of Santiago de los 

 Cabelleros. " Macorix de arriba " was the home of the long-haired 

 Ciguayans under Mayobanex and extended to the north coast of the 

 island on the northern slope of the Cordillera Setentrional and 

 included Samana Peninsula. The south shore of Samana Bay 

 belonged to Macorix de abajo under Guarionex. 



NONAGRICULTURAL CAVE DWELLERS 



Within historic times the aboriginal population of the West Indies 

 has included two great linguistic stocks — the Carib and the Arawak. 

 The Arawak population of the Greater Antilles and of the Bahamas 

 was known to the early Spanish explorers as a peaceful (Taino) 

 agricultural people rapidly giving way before the aggressive raiding 

 bands of Caribs from the Lesser Antilles. In St. Vincent, Mar- 

 tinique, Dominica, and Guadeloupe, and several other islands of this 

 group, Columbus encountered the Carib and became acquainted with 

 his depredations. 



The Carib had replaced the Igneris, an Arawak stock, on the 

 islands of the Lesser Antilles and were encroaching on Arawak 



" The manuscript of F. Roman, concerning tlie antiquities of the Indians, which he, 

 as being skilled in their tongue, has carefully gathered by order of the admiral, vol. 2, 

 pp. 543-554, London, 1744. 



