160 ANIMISM AKD FOLK-LORE OF GUIANA INDIANS [bth. ANN. 30 



colleague, the Tiger medicine-man who guards the corpse, but the 

 spirits of the distinguished dead may be visited by "doctors," by 

 the common crowd, and by animals for the special purpose of con- 

 sultation (Cr, 298). 



80. Of other obscure burial customs — obscure in the sense that 

 their real signification has been only approximately, if at all, deter- 

 mined — may be mentioned that of the Island Caribs (BBR, 252) who 

 place two weights on the eyes of the deceased, so that he may not see 

 his parents and thus make them ill (Sect. 253). Most extraorchuary 

 of all, however, would seem tt) ho the jirocedure followed by the War- 

 raus at the mouth of the Orinoco: 



On the death of a woman, the husband lies down in front of her. He remains there 



a few minutes, weeping and singing, and then makes way for each and all who have 

 ever had rouneftion with the deceased. As no Indian will \rillingly act contrary 

 to the established usages of his tribe . . . such a custom seems calculated to prove 

 a check upon persons who are not desirous of having their actions exposed to public 

 notoriety. [Cr, 612.] 



81. Mitile certain of the IncUans appear to hold advanced views 

 respecting the immortaUty of that particular spirit wliich, on its 

 departure from the body, takes on an anthropomorphic form, they 

 are not in agreement as to the place of translation. This may be 

 identical for the spirits of "good" and of "bad" people, as is the 

 belief of the Warraus and the Makusi, or at all events the places 

 may not be very far apart (e. g., the Caribs of the Yary River, 

 Cayenne). According to the views of these people, the spirits of the 

 "good" and "bad" [within certain limitations to be immediately 

 discussed in this and succeeding paragraphs] rise after death toward 

 the skies, which they call Capoun.' The former travel liigh, very 

 liigh, above the clouds where they find pretty women; they dance 

 every night; they drink cassiri, and do not work in the clearings 

 (provision-fields). The wicked remain below the clouds where they 

 are always roaming without any hope of getting higher. If the body 

 is burned immediately after death, this is done in order that tlie spirit 

 may ascend with the smoke (Cr, 298). There are interestmg records 

 left to us concerning the Island Caribs: (a) Some hold that the 

 most vahant of their nation are carried after death to the Fortu- 

 nate Isles, where they have everytliing they can wish for, and that 

 the Arawaks are their slaves; that they swim without being tired, 

 in the wide and large rivers; and live delightfully and pass the time 

 happily in dances, games, and feasts, in a country wliich produces 

 all kinds of good fruits without being cultivated, (b) On the con- 

 traiy those who have been cowardly and tiiuid in going to war against 

 their enemies, have, after death, to serve the Arawalvs, who inliabit 

 desert and sterile countries which are beyond the mountains, (c) 

 But others, the most brutal, do not trouble about what takes place 



1 Kabu, Carib term for 'sun.' — W. E. R. 



