698 ARTS AND CRAFTS OF GUIANA INDIANS [BTH. ANN. 38 
Among the latter is the very common one: 
Badongka illorlo papa obora Sleep, child, father is coming. 
Wa-ubadate obora Let us wait (he is) coming. 
I obtained the following three lullabies also from the upper 
Pomeroon Carib: 
The acouri is crying; it wants potato and milk. 
Shoot the marudi. Uncle! there it is feeding upon the tree, behind the thick 
bushes: take an arrow with you. 
Daddy } there are tracks of the powis in the house. 
911. Opinions would appear to differ as to the mutual regard and 
affection existing between parents and their children, but whether 
this is dependent upon the characteristics of the particular tribe or 
upon the local circumstances under which the particular traveler drew 
his observations, it is difficult to say. At any rate, I would submit 
a few extracts from certain authors, who certainly had an intimate 
knowledge of the Indians, and all of whom may be credited with 
only publishing such information as they themselves deemed reliable. 
* When children are small,” says Gumilla of the Orinoco tribe, “ their 
parents treat them with exorbitant and foolish love... But all 
this extravagant sentimentality which they expend upon them when 
young and small changes to hardness of heart and displeasure when 
they begin to be youths and adults. They now regard them as if they 
had never known them; and never order them to do anything if they 
are unwilling to do it with a good grace. They do not joke with 
them in sprightly conversation. They restrain them in nothing, and, 
what is worse, they do not command respect ” (G,1, 135). But among 
the Arawak there is Brett’s statement that the parents are also fond 
of their children, and so indulgent that they very rarely chastise 
them. Little reverence is consequently paid by the child to its 
parents. The boys in particular are so little controlled by the mother 
as to be remarkable for their disregard for her . . . This is during 
childhood. But when they grow up and become themselves the heads 
of families, there is no want either of respect or attachment toward 
their aged parents (Br, 99). And, again, Schomburgk writes: “ The 
Indians have been accused of want of affection toward their children. 
but I have seen frequent instances to the contrary ” (ScG, 246). On 
the other hand, the opinion of another author, speaking of the 
present-day Surinam Carib, is that the young people appreciate the 
experiences of their parents or grandparents, but that of real respect 
there is very little. An Indian regards his father and mother, when 
they get too old to work, rather as nuisances than as anything else. In 
former times the state of affairs was still worse, the old folk being 
just buried alive (sec. 917). It is difficult to determine, however, 
