55* 



THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



Photo by M. San Martin. 



A GROUP OF SANAPANA MEN OF THE PARAGUAYAN CHACO. 



With this quotation we must reluctantly leave Mexico and Central America proper to 

 pass on to 



THE GUIANAS AND VENEZUELA. 



THE extermination of nearly all the aborigines of the West Indies has made a break in what 

 was once a complete connection between the natives of the northern and southern halves 

 of the New World. The Cebunys of Cuba, the West Indian Caribs, and the Lucayans of 

 the Bahamas were some of the links between the more northern tribes and the Caribs 

 of the Guianas and the Arawakan group of Venezuela and the neighbouring districts. The 

 Indians of British Guiana and adjacent territories having been treated in great detail by Mr. im 

 Thurn, somewhat more space may be devoted to them than to their neighbours. Venezuela 

 and the Guianas, it is scarcely necessary to say, occupy the north-eastern extremity of South 

 America, and are forest-clad or savanna tropical countries. The aborigines found in these 

 territories are divisible into three great groups, or branches, respectively named Warrauan, 

 Arawakan, and Caribean. The first of these comprises only the Warrau tribe; the second 

 embraces the Arawak, Atorai, Maypure, Wapiana, Vaura, Mahinacu, and Layana tribes; while 

 the third includes the true Caribs, Bakairis, Nahuquas, Pamellas, Galibis, Calinas, Arecunas, 

 Macusis, and Ackawois. Although distinguished by language, the members of these groups 

 and tribes present but slight physical differences from one another, so that it requires a long 

 residence among them before such points of distinction become recognisable. The Warraus 

 are the shortest and weakest of all, their bodies being long in proportion to their limbs, their 

 expression of countenance gloomy and morose, and their colour apparently very^ dark; the 

 latter feature is, however, chiefly due to the amount of dirt with which the skin is covered. 

 The members of the Arawakan group are taller and better-proportioned, the Arawaks themselves 

 being only slightly superior in height to the Warraus, whereas the Wapianas are unusually 

 tall for Indians, their bodies being slightly and well built, and their features regular and 



