1016 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



•who maintain that the Indian does 

 not pique himself on his iiononr, of 

 ■which, according to thein, he is 

 devoid of every sentiment, certainly 

 have not stiidifd his heart. 'I'he 

 Itucaiis, in [.roponion as they dc- 

 cajiitafe their eiiemie?, diyide the 

 skin which covers the bridge of tlie 

 no.^e, and by the introdu<!^,tion of the 

 small husks of the palm into the 

 incl^e(l |)ar(s, form warts, or cx- 

 crcscenc. s, ihe number of %vhich is 

 from time to tin)e augmented, until 

 at length ihey extend from the 

 Space between the brows to the tip 

 of the nose, and occasion an uneven 

 outer ridge, by wliich these Indians 

 are extremely disfigured. The first 

 process Ihty perform on the heads 

 t'loy bring with them, is to boil 

 them, and ha»ing stripped the skin 

 from the head and visage, it is 

 stufted wifh straw, and dried in the 

 smoke, thus forming a mask. The 

 <eeth they ex(ra»^ for their coliars, 

 and the skulls they suspenci as 

 tropiiics from the roofs of their 

 dwellinss. 



"•' Their vi6torics are celebrated 

 with much solemnity, in the house 

 of the captain, or cacique, on a 

 particular day appointed for that 

 purpose. For these joyous occa- 

 sions a provision is made of a great 

 number of jugs of masato, which 

 are placed in rows in a large 

 saloon, having different scats, ac- 

 cording to the quality of the guests. 

 At the appointed time all the 

 people assemble, decked With a 

 thousand ridiculous and extravagant 

 inventions. 



" The warriors constantly bring 

 ■with them the masks which have 

 been above pointed out, and which 

 they grasp by the hair. Being 

 assembled at the door of the ban- 

 quettlng-house, they prepare their 



weapons, and having made a feint 

 attack, retire backward, as if they 

 were repulsed : at the third assauR 

 they break their ranks, and pro- 

 ceed to form a circle. The danc- 

 ing and singing now commence, the 

 principal aim of the latter being to 

 insult the ma^ks, and to tax them 

 with cowardice, and with not hav- 

 ing either fasted, or anointed the 

 eyes with red pepper. While they 

 vent tlu'se re])roachcs, they com- 

 mend the prowess of ihose by 

 whom they were subdued. Tho 

 (fancc concludes by copious draughts 

 of masato; and in this alternation 

 of dancing, singing, and drinking, 

 they remain for several days and 

 nights without intermission, until 

 all the iars are cmntv. Father 

 Figueroa pleasantly observes, that 

 ho is at a loss to conjeflure how 

 they have a head for so much 

 noise, a throat for so much ex- 

 clamation, and a tooth for so much 

 liquor. 



" The whole being terminated, 

 they rise, form into two columns, 

 the one opposite to the other, and 

 begin to dance, mutually attacking 

 each other, dragging the adverse 

 party by the hair, and striking him 

 furiously. In this pra(5iice they 

 resemble the Corybantcs, the mad 

 priests of Cybfi.e, who introduced 

 into tlicir sacrifices to that goddess, 

 armed dances, in the course of 

 which they attacked and wounded 

 each other with their weapons. 

 Tiiey now depart peaceably for their 

 homes. 



" The captives made by our 

 barbarians are treated with infinite 

 humanity, as if they were their 

 brethren ; a quality which they ob- 

 serve among themselves, begging 

 jmrdon whenever they have given 

 ofl'ence. They arc very attentive 

 2 to 



