NATIVE TRIBES. 667 



men, to be killed and eaten. Their arms were clubs, and 

 bows and poisoned arrows. Even the women were expert 

 archers, and when their husbands were away remained to 

 defend their homes. The hair of these savages was coarse 

 and long their eyes, surrounded with paint, giving them a 

 hideous expression ; while their limbs were bound with bands 

 of cotton, causing them to swell out into disproportionate size 

 where unconfmed. When attacked by the Spaniards, the men 

 refused to be taken alive, and the women defended themselves 

 with the fiercest courage after the death of their husbands. 



In the British island of St. Vincent several bands remained, 

 who devastated the plantations, and committed many atroci- 

 ties, especially in the revolutionary war, when they were 

 stirred up by the French. They were removed by the Bri- 

 tish Government to the island of Ruatan, in the Bay of Hon- 

 duras, whence they emigrated to the neighbouring coast. 

 Meantime, they were extending their power on the Southern 

 Continent, and became the dominant race on the Orinoco and 

 Essequibo, their excursions reaching even to the provinces 

 watered by the Amazon. Wherever they appeared, the other 

 tribes were driven for refuge to the mountains and forests. 

 They even ventured to attack the white settlers, and endea- 

 voured to drive out the Spaniards from the city of Valencia 

 when first established. 



They incessantly attacked the natives on the banks of the 

 Orinoco, sometimes ascending that river in numerous canoes ; 

 at other times crossing the highlands, and descending one or 

 other of its tributaries, they would come suddenly on their 

 foes, never failing to exterminate all who were their inferiors 

 in power. They were, however, often fiercely opposed by 

 some other tribes, and vast numbers cut off. During the 



