334 T1TE CHIEF CUSEEU. 



state of these countries, where the vanquished nations 

 have become gradually extinct, leaving no other signs of theii 

 existence than a few worcs of their language, mixed with 

 that of the conquerors. In the north, beyond the cataracts, 

 the preponderant nations were at first the Caribs and the 

 Cabres; towards the south, on the Upper Orinoco, the 

 Gruaypunaves ; and on the Eio Negro, the Marepizanos and 

 the Manitivitanos. The long resistance which the Cabres, 

 united under a valiant chief, had made to the Caribs, 

 became fatal to the latter subsequently to the year ] 720. 

 They at first vanquished their enemies near the mouth of 

 the Eio Caura ; and a great number of Caribs perished in 

 a precipitate flight, between the rapids of Torno and the 

 Isla del Infierno. The prisoners were devoured; and, by 

 one of those refinements of cunning and cruelty which are 

 common to the savage nations of both North and South 

 America, the Cabres spared the life of one Carib, whom 

 they forced to climb up a tree to witness this barbarous 

 spectacle, and carry back the tidings to the vanquished. 

 The triumph of Tep, the chief of the Cabres, was but of 

 short duration. The Caribs returned in such great numbers 

 that only a feeble remnant of the Cabres was left on the 

 banks of the Cuchivero. 



Cocuy and Cuseru were carrying on a war of extermin- 

 ation on the Upper Orinoco when Solano arrived at the 

 mouth of the Ghiaviare. The former had embraced the 

 cause of the Portuguese; the latter was a friend of the 

 Jesuits, and gave them warning whenever the Manitivitanos 

 were marching against the Christian establishments of 

 Atures and Carichana. Cuseru became a Christian only a 

 few days before his death ; but in battle he had for some 

 time worn en his left hip a crucifix, given him by the mis- 

 sionaries, and which he believed rendered him invulnerable 

 We were told an anecdote that paints the violence of hi' 

 character. He had married the daughter of an Indian chif 

 of the Eio Temi. In a paroxysm of rage against his father- 

 in-law, he declared to his wife that he was going to fight 

 against him. She reminded him of the courage and singular 

 strength of her father; when Cuseru, without uttering a 

 single word, took a poisoned arrow, and plunged it into 

 her bosora. The arrival rf a small body of Spaniards ir 





