97 



fies to assassinate. It is true that in their first bat- 

 tles the Spaniards gave tliem too much reason for 

 applying to them these opprobrious epithets, which 

 serve to the present time to denote one of that na- 

 tion. Esteeming themselves fortunate in their bar- 

 barity, they call those Indians who live in the Spanish 

 settlements cidme-hidnca^ or wretched Spaniards. 

 To the other Europeans, the English, French and 

 Italians, whom they readily distinguish from each 

 other, they give the name of maruchey which is 

 equivalent to the term moro, used by the common 

 people of Spain to denote all strangers indiscrimi- 

 nately. They call each o\k\.tr pegni^ that is brothers, 

 and even apply the same name to those born in their 

 country of foreign parents. 



The benevolence and kindness with which these 

 people generally treat each other is really surprising. 

 For the word friend they have six or seven very ex- 

 pressive terms in their language, among others that 

 of canay, which corresponds to the alter ego of the 

 Latins. The relations that result from correspond- 

 ing situations or common concerns in life are so 

 many ties of regard, and are expressed by appropri- 

 ate words denoting particular friendship or good 

 will. Those who have the same name call each 

 other laca, and those who bear but a part of the 

 name, apellaca. These denominations incur an ob- 

 ligation of mutual esteem and aid. Relations by 

 consanguinity are called in general monmaguey and 

 those of affinity, guillati. Their table of genealogy 

 is more intricate than that of the Europeans, all the 

 Vol. li N 



