526 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1&21. 



dynasty of the Guor. It came to an end in 1878, together with the 

 Ranquele tribe itself, during the campaign of extermination led by 

 General Roca. 



The reign of Paine partly coincides with that of Rosas, the Argen- 

 tine tyrant. Therefore the history of the Ranqueles is interwoven 

 with the history of Argentina, and the novel of Zeballos is to a cer- 

 tain extent based on historical facts. 



The captivity among the Ranqueles during eight long years of a 

 young Argentine forms the nucleus of Paine. We are told of the 

 captive's bodily and mental sufferings; of the hopeless love of the 

 poor, ugly Indian girl, Pulquinay, for the white " cristiano," not less 

 strong than the passion of the latter for Paine's " f avorita," beautiful 

 Panchita, herself a captive. At last, following Paine's sudden death, 

 the lovers succeed in regaining their freedom. This romantic story 

 is not only charmingly written, but the description of Zeballos' In- 

 dians is truthful and excellent. These are not fantastic stage In- 

 dians, but the genuine savages of the pampas, as seen by Zeballos, 

 himself an " hi jo del pais." The pictures which he draws of the end- 

 less sandy or grassy plains with their placid lagoons, surrounded by 

 reeds and bushes, and of the glorious light at dawn and sunset are 

 equally realistic. 



Another valuable book by an author who knows what he is writing 

 about, namely, James Rodway, is In Guiana Wilds ; a Study of Two 

 Women (London, 1899). Of the two heroines one is a so-called 

 " boviander," of mixed Indian, Negro, and white blood, and the other 

 a full-blood Macusi Indian. This rather amusing novel contains 

 many data concerning the Macusi tribe in the interior of British 

 Guiana. Although Rodway is in the main quite right in his descrip- 

 tions, he obviously errs when he calls Makunaima the " Great Spirit." 

 The Indians of Guiana in general do not recognize a personal, all- 

 ruling God unless through missionary influence. Walter E. Roth's 

 researches, 14 for example, leave no doubt in this respect. Makunaima 

 is nothing else but a " hero-god," one of the twins born from the Sun, 

 his brother being Pia. The role of " kenaima " the avenger, which 

 can take at will the shape of a boa constrictor or of a jaguar, and 

 his paralyzing effect on the mind of the persecuted Indians, is truth- 

 fully depicted. 



As the title indicates, the leitmotiv of Rodway's story is the 

 psychology of the two women above mentioned. Both are equally 

 pretty, but of a very different character. Their portraits are per- 

 fectly drawn. Chloe, the mongrel, with her slight veneer of civiliza- 

 tion, does not come up to the moral standard of " pagan " Yariko, the 



M Animism and Folklore of the Guiana Indians (30th Ann. Report, Bur. Am. Ethno- 

 logy, 1915). 



