RoTH] WAR AND WARFARE 579 
collecting the spent arrows, although they did not actually fight 
themselves. The Carib carried their predatory excursions from one 
extremity of the Guianas to the other. The terror which they in- 
spired was not diminished by the fact of the Europeans occasionally 
joining their forces, painting themselves red and leaving themselves 
naked, but for the lap. Both Dutch and others would seem to have 
thus enlisted in the services of the Indians, and Gumilla evidently 
had good cause for complaint when he wrote to the governor of 
Esquivo [Essequibo] over the matter. He reports that with and 
without the assistance of these adventurers the Carib continue to 
attack the various mission stations, burning the churches and slaugh- 
tering both priests and people (G, 1, 78). Barrére has a note about 
the French from Cayenne disguising themselves in similar fashion 
with the rucu and loin cloth, and so taking possession of the lookout 
ship at the mouth of the Surinam River (PBA, 44). 
756. Interesting records are available from various areas inside 
and outside of the Guianas as to the motives and causes for war. 
West of the Orinoco there is Depons’ authority for the statement 
that from the poverty of the different tribes, the love of plunder never 
animated them to the attack. Their object in going to war was to 
devastate rather than conquer; to destroy rather than possess (FD, 
49-50). On the other hand, Gumilla says that the chief motive of 
the reciprocal wars of the Orinoco Indians had for object the cap- 
turing of women and boys, and the sacking and pillage of what was 
almost useless. The original object of the capture was to insure, 
through the possession of captives, greater authority, a larger retinue, 
more laborers in their fields, and servants to wait on them. But the 
arrival of the Dutch altered the object of warfare and made it one 
of merchandise and gain by buying from the Carib as many prison- 
ers as they could bring (G, u, 73). In Cayenne Barrére mentions 
as causes for war some bloody outrage, or the killing of one of their 
people by another nation, while admitting that they often had less 
legitimate motives, such as a cold reception, or their refusal to attend 
a dance given by another tribe, or some similar trifling circumstance 
(PBA, 167). Among the Island Carib, if we are to believe Roche- 
fort, the end they proposed to themselves in their expeditions was 
not to become masters of a new country, or to load themselves with 
the spoils of their enemies, but only the glory of subduing and 
triumphing over them, and the pleasure of satiating their revenge for 
the injuries they had received (RO, 531). 
767. With regard to any so-called council of war Fermin relates 
the following concerning the Surinam Carib: When the head of 
a community has any reason for making war on another nation, he 
first gets all the captains of his own community to assemble. He 
