FEWKEs] POLITICAL DIVISIONS 35 



amulets — small images representingf idols — on their foreheads. Those 

 in the foremost rank were armed with stone-headed lances or wooden 

 spears, the points of which were hardened by fire. They carried clubs 

 and bows and arrows, and were led into battle by some of their num- 

 ber who blew horns made of large conch shells. Although preferring 

 a life of peace, they were courageous and, when necessary, willing to 

 die for their homes and native land. 



Bernaldez has given a very good account of the dress and character- 

 istic regalia of a Cuban cacique during a state visit paid to Columbus: 



The cacique wore suspended from his neck a trinket madeof copper, which is brought 

 from a neighboring island. « . . . He wore a string of marble beads . . . and 

 on his head a large open crown'' of very small green and red stones disposed in order 

 and intermixed with larger white stones so as to look very well. He had sus- 

 pended over his forehead a large jewel [probably a frontal amulet], and from his 

 ears hung two large plates of gold, with rings of very small beads; although naked, 

 ha had a girdle'' of the same workmanship as the crown, all the rest of the body 

 being uncovered. 



The clre.ss of the wife of the Cuban cacique, who came to see the 

 Europeans at the same time, is thus described by Bernaldez: 



His wife was adorned in a similar manner, but was naked, except so much of her 

 person as was covered by a bit of cotton not larger than an orange leaf. She wore 

 upon her arms, just below the shoulders, a roll of cotton like the sleeves of the 

 ancient Fiench doublets, and another similar roll, but larger, on each leg below the 

 knee — like the anklets of the Moorish women. The older and more beautiful of 

 the daughters was entirely naked, wearing only a girdle of stones of a single color, 

 black and very small, from which hung something, of the shape of an ivy leaf, of 

 green and red<* stones eml)roidered upon cotton cloth. 



POLITICAL DIVISIONS 



As already stated, there existed in prehistoric Borin(iuen a number 

 of provinces, or caciquedoms, over each of which rided a cacique, 

 with subordinate chiefs, also called caciques, who were heads of 

 families, or allied nataioH, composed of their blood kindred, and their 

 slaves and dependents. The geographical position of some of these 

 provinces is shown in a general way, bj' the names applied to moun- 

 tains on old maps, and these names are generally the same as those of 

 caciques. 



The foremost caciques of the island of Forto Kico are known as 

 Aguebana (Agueynaba)" the First and Aguebana the Second, two 



«Tlie ornament, as above stated, was usually of gold and was called a ffuariii. 



''To Columbus was later given one of these crowns, which he carried to Spain. 



f We find these girdles repeatedly mentioned in early accounts, where it is said that they were so 

 highly prized that they were regarded as a worthy present for Columbus. In a way, this object may 

 be compared w'ith the wampum of the North American Indians, but there is no reasc)n to believe 

 that the West Indians regarded it as the Iroquois and other nations of North America did wampum. 

 Among other ornaments worn by the Indians should be mentioned necklaces of living fireflies, which 

 the natives called cocutja, a name still current in the island. 



d Possibly the red seeds now used in Porto Rico for necklaces. 



cThe prefix a in the name of this cacique, as in that of the mountains, is often dropped. 



