ROTH] OMENS, CHAEMS, TALISMANS 291 



Macagua. They were formerly Ijrought in considerable quantities by the Caribs to 

 Demerara. but now very rarely ... As I was told Ijy people, these stones were also 

 formerly brought to Demerara in the form of fishes and other animals, as well as with 

 figures cut into the surfaces. . . . According to Barrerc, they were treasured more tlian 

 gold by the Caribs: such a stone was the price of a slave. I-Jaleigh saw them on the 

 Orinoko, and noticed that every Cacique had such a stone which was usually carried 

 by his women: they treasured them more than gold. Lawrence Keymis says of the 

 Carib and other tribes who dwell on the Arawari, below the Oyapoke: "Their money 

 is white and green stones." He found the same thing on the CorentjTi . . . According 

 to Clavigero they are identical with the green stones of the Mexican Anahuacs: these 

 people could cut all manners of figures out of this stone, and knew also how to cut 

 diamonds. [ScR, ii, 330-2.] 



These Amazon stones, as just mentioned, were highly valued by 

 the Galibis of Cayenne, who called them takourave, about which Pierre 

 Barrcre has left us this account : 



This stone is of olive color, of a slightly paler green, and close to a pearl gray {presque 

 d'un gris de perks). I have brought all colors fnim (iuiana. The most common 

 shape one gives to this stone is cylindrical, length of 2, 3, up to 4" inches, by six or 

 seven lines in diameter, and drilled their whole length, I have seen some of them 

 tliat were squared, oval, to which one had given the shape of a crescent and imprinted 

 upon it the figure of a toad, or some other animals. Tliis stone is known by lapidaries 

 under the name of jade. It is highly polished, and so hard, that one can hardly work 

 with it except wath diamond powder. One has assiu-ed me that it Ls artificial: that 

 a nation called Tapouye who live 1.50 leagues, or thereabout from Para, busy themselves 

 in making them. [PBa, 175.] 



There is another interesting reference to these green and gray jade 

 stones in Surinam. They are stones harder than jasper, susceptible 

 of a fine polish and making fu'e with a steel, although oily to the sight 

 and touch; the,y are extremely hard to work. The Indians also set 

 such great store on them that they regard these stones as very precious 

 jewels, with which they decorate themselves when disposed to show 

 themselves with all their fine attire (Fe, ii, 351). I have come across 

 a possible reference to them in a Warrau legend (Sect. 1S9). A com- 

 parison between these .Ymazon stones and the drilled stones of quartz 

 imperfectly crystaUzed, used as neck ornaments and as symbols of 

 authority by the chiefs among theUaupes River Indians (ARW, 191), 

 is well worth consideration. 



