AMONG THE CARIBS. 87 



the rapidly increasing light, that the noise had a 

 harmless source, though I was correct in my con- 

 jecture that it proceeded from a horn, for it came from 

 my Indian friends of the preceding night, who had 

 indeed taken a horn too much. Tracing this mighty 

 snore to its source, I saw that it was produced by the 

 combined efforts of three individuals, who lay stretched 

 upon the grass beneath the palms. There was my 

 boy, and another Indian, and between them, secured 

 by ropes of vines, a girl of about eighteen. 



As I was curiously regarding this group, Meyong 

 awoke, and eying me with a look of triumph, ex- 

 claimed : 



"Ah, monsieur, you no savez ; look, ze cook!" 



It was too true ; the lawless savage had made un- 

 successful attempts to hire a cook the previous after- 

 noon, and late, meeting this girl in the forest, had 

 captured her with the aid of his friend. And I, think- 

 ing these zealous friends had approached my hut with 

 dire intent, had locked them out and gone supperless 

 to bed. 



Among men and women, labor is equally divided. 

 In the house, the woman is supposed to do all the 

 work, but in the gardens and in the woods they work 

 together. She prepares all the food and makes the 

 fires ; and, as there seems to exist a perfect under- 

 standing on this point, it is not so fruitful a source of 

 discontent as in other and less-favored climes. 



The women are generally well treated and loved. 

 An old writer says, the Caribs were noted for their in- 

 difference to their women, while the tribes of neigh- 

 boring islands were excessively fond of their wives. 

 Those other tribes are now extinct ; but the Carib 



